MACC’s test now is ensuring successful conviction of Isa, says lawyer

Lawyers for Liberty's Eric Paulsen highlights past cases that did not lead to guilty verdicts.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has done well by finally arresting a “big fish”, former Felda Global Ventures (FGV) chairman Isa Samad, said human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen.

But the MACC’s commitment to combating corruption remains to be seen, said Paulsen, as he highlighted past cases that did not lead to a guilty verdict.

“Of course, the real test for MACC is a genuine and sustained effort to eradicate corruption and abuse of power at all levels.

“Well-founded arrests and investigations should lead to successful prosecution. Only time will tell if MACC is genuine in Isa Samad’s case.

“We have seen several high-profile corruption prosecutions collapsing in spectacular fashion,” the executive director of Lawyers for Liberty said in a series of tweets yesterday evening.

The high-profile cases he listed were the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, the 2004 case involving former minister Kasitah Gaddam, as well as the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

Kasitah, who was the land and cooperative development minister, was charged with corruption in the disposal of shares worth RM24 million while heading a Sabah state-owned body. He was acquitted in 2009 by the Kuala Lumpur High Court which cited the prosecution’s failure to call board members as witnesses.

The NFC scandal also resulted in the acquittal of the NFCorp executive chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail, husband of Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

“Of course, the biggest elephant in the room that MACC has refused to investigate (is) 1MDB,” added Paulsen.

Isa was arrested by the anti-graft agency today in connection with two hotels purchased by Felda subsidiary Felda Investment Corporation (FIC).

A source confirmed this just hours after Isa was detained at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

The source said Isa had been detained over FIC’s purchase of two hotels between 2014 and 2015, one in London and the other in Sarawak.

MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Azam Baki confirmed the arrest, adding that it was a follow-up to earlier statements recorded over the hotel purchases.

Isa quit his role as FGV chairman in June after meeting Prime Minister Najib Razak. He was then appointed acting chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission. - FMT