'Archaic law' stops MACC action against 'rich leader'

Provisions in the law are stopping the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) from proceeding with its investigations into alleged corruption involving a "wealthy leader of a state", PAS Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub said today.

The member of the parliamentary special committee (PSC) on corruption said the MACC stated this at a briefing it held for the committee last week.

"We were told at the meeting that investigations against a state leader (ketua negeri), a person well known for having a lot of wealth, could not proceed due to shoddy laws and despite six investigations papers having been opened.

"So the MACC has suggested that (the committee) bring this matter up in Parliament so that a law reform commission can be formed," Salahuddin (above) told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

MACC not able to obtain corroboration

Refusing to name the state leader, he said, the case involving the wealthy person could not move forward as the MACC was not able to obtain "corroboration" on confessions so that these could be admissible in court.

"Bribery does not take place on the roadside. People don't advertise it when they do so. It is done one-to-one (between individuals)," Salahuddin said.

The MACC has stated that it is investigating prominent political figures for corruption, including Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud (left).

The MP said the amendments should involved Sections 23 and 50 of the MACC Act 2009.

Salahuddin added that under present law, a menteri besar can just excuse himself from an executive council (exco) meeting if it involves a project benefiting his family members or associates.

"(The MB) is then absolved (of corruption) but will the exco members dare to reject the project? This is a case which has been put forward before," he said, explaining why 'big fish' have slipped through the MACC's net.

Besides this, the PSC, which was appointed by the Agong to advise the prime minister on anti-corruption measures, had in its 2010 and 2011 reports called for prosecutorial powers for the MACC.

He said the law reform commission, which he proposed in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, could review the Land Act to curb unnecessary state appropriation of private land and water sale agreement between Johor and Singapore.

'Why not use state land for Rapid?'

"More and more cases have emerged where the rakyat's land have been grabbed ruthlessly for the sake of development," he said.

One example of this, he said, is in Pengerang, Johor where residents of 10 traditional villages will lose their land due to Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project.

Refuting Pengerang MP Azalina Othman, Salahuddin (right) said this can be avoided if the project was built on sea-front state land in Pengerang, which is also on the shipping route.

Answering Azalina further, he claimed that although there were many from outside Pengerang who had attended the rally against the project last month, many locals are also against it.

He also admitted that no report was lodged against the damage to his car, purportedly through an act of sabotage during the anti-Rapid rally on Sept 30, claiming that it was inconvenient at the time.

"No report was lodged as it was raining at the time and I had another programme to attend," he said, adding that he will not lodge any report on the matter.

He also insisted that he will only debate Johor MB Abdul Ghani Othman, and not Azalina, as only the MB has a say on land matters.