Rafizi claims Azam has RM14m in shares, wants probe report revealed

 

Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli today urged Putrajaya to reveal the full findings of a shareholding investigation into Azam Baki, claiming that the probe had uncovered a total of RM14 million in shares held by the MACC chief commissioner.

Rafizi claimed in a statement today that, according to government sources, the special investigative committee led by Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar found shares under Azam’s name in nine companies.

“The latest information now circulating in Putrajaya, according to government sources, concerns alleged findings from the investigation into Azam’s share ownership, as follows.

“The total shares owned amount to RM14 million across nine companies, and these share purchases were not approved or declared as required.

“As long as the government does not transparently announce the findings of the investigation - including the total shares involved, the number of companies, and how the rules had been violated - speculation on these matters will continue to intensify,” the former economy minister said.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki

Malaysiakini is unable to independently verify Rafizi’s claims.

This news portal has contacted Azam, the MACC strategic communications unit, and government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil for comments.

‘Failure to probe would mean complicity’

Rafizi said the issue has raised questions about the source of Azam’s wealth, as such an amount does not appear to be commensurate with the earnings of a senior civil servant.

He pointed out that the MACC would usually take a series of actions against individuals with unexplained wealth, including freezing their bank accounts and ordering them to declare their assets.

“If the allegation that the total shares involved amount to RM14 million across nine companies is true, the government’s failure to investigate the source of Azam’s wealth will be seen as the government being complicit in protecting him.

“For this reason, I urge the government to immediately announce in detail the findings of the investigation so far in order to avoid further speculation, including the total shares owned and the number of companies involved,” he said.

Yesterday, Fahmi, who is the communications minister, told a press conference that the cabinet had received and discussed the report by the committee investigating Azam’s shareholdings.

Fahmi, however, did not disclose details of the investigation.

Azam had, on Feb 13, denied any impropriety over his shareholdings, saying he is open to any independent investigation as he has “nothing to hide”.

He has also filed an RM100 million suit against Bloomberg over the news outlet’s report on his shareholdings. -  Mkini