Bala and counsel await another MACC reversal

Despite the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) decision not to send its officers to London, the lawyers and private investigator P Balasubramaniam will still be at the designated venue next week.

They still harbour hopes that the MACC will reverse Wednesday's decision and meet with them to record Balasubramaniam's (below) statement.

The private eye and his counsel Amarjit Singh left for London from an undisclosed location. Another lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon is already there, while Americk Singh Sidhu was expected to leave yesterday.

Americk, in a letter to a MACC investigating officer had expressed disappointment that it had decline the pre-arranged interview on Monday and Tuesday and not informing them officially.

"We have spent considerable amount of time, effort and expense to assist MACC to arrange this interview," he said.

On Wednesday, MACC deputy commissioner Mohd Sukri Abdull revealed that the earlier decision to dispatch a three-member team of officers to London for the interview had been cancelled.

This went against the earlier commitment to do so by its director of investigations, Mustafar Ali.

MACC already in bad light

Americk said the last minute about turn does not augur well for the anti-graft body following the negative publicity it had attracted since the MACC Act was introduced in 2009.

He said the public's perception of the commission is already in tatters and that the interview would have gone some way to redeem MACC's image.

"Unfortunately, MACC has ignored this and this is extremely regrettable," he said.

The lawyer said they ,however, intend to be at the designated venue and time awaiting the MACC officers , as originally planned.

"You may see fit to consider your stand and turn up instead," he said.

In a related development, Balasubramaniam's presence in Europe may have attracted the attention of the French prosecutors looking into allegations of corruption in the sale of the two Scorpene submaries.

It was reported in another blog (FMT= free Malaysia Today) that the prosecutors were interested in interviewing the private investigator next week.

They are expected to meet Balasubramaniam in Paris later in the week, for the PI to assist them with their probe into claims of kickbacks being involved in the submarine deal.

Americk said it was ironical that the French prosecutors were ready to talk to Balasubramaniam but not the MACC.

The French lawyers, who are acting on behalf of Suaram, are investigating alleged payout to certain individuals, after it was revealed that a company owned by Abdul Razak Baginda's wife, a close associate of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was paid 114 million euro (RM482 million) for doing nothing but "administrative" work.

courtesy of Malaysiakini