'Hypocrite' Najib slashes MACC budget, then gives back, says MP

DAP’s Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching has called Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak a hypocrite for his announcement of a RM5 million allocation to the MACC.

This is because, she said, the government had cut MACC’s budget by almost RM5 million at the beginning of the year.

“If Najib truly appreciates the efforts of the MACC, why did he, in the first place, cut the budget of MACC by almost RM5 million in the beginning of the year?” Teo questioned in a statement today.

She was referring to a written parliamentary reply by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low in answering Umno’s Kulim Bandar Baru MP Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir's question on the MACC’s budget.

In Low’s reply, it was revealed that the MACC’s budget was RM10,218,830 last year and it was slashed down to RM5,455,300 this year.

Teo questioned whether it was a coincidence that Najib announced an allocation similar to the amount of MACC’s budget cuts.

“If I were a MACC officer, I would prefer the same amount to be given early this year, so that MACC would not be placed in an awkward position as to whether it is ethical for it to accept the money,” she said.

Moreover, if Najib truly appreciates the efforts of MACC, he should allow MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad to employ more staff to boost its manpower.

Ideally, she said, MACC’s manpower should be 5,000 officers, though it currently stands at around 2,100.

“Najib in his speech mentioned that the government would continue to give its full cooperation to MACC’s fight.

“So let’s start by increasing the number of officers to investigate SRC International Bhd,” Teo said.

Najib attended MACC’s 50th anniversary celebration on Sunday, even as he was still plagued by corruption allegations.

It was reported in September that the Attorney-General’s Chambers has yet to receive MACC’s investigation papers on the RM42 million from SRC International, which landed in Najib’s personal bank accounts.

During the event, Najib had announced a RM5 million allocation for the commission’s Yayasan Prihatin, as a symbol of the government’s support for MACC.- Mkini