Selangor rep questions MACC's delay in probing MBPJ corruption claims

Six months after a report was lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, a Selangor state assemblyperson today questioned alleged delays into a probe over claims of corruption and abuse of power within the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Risyakaran (photo, above) said he raised the question today after six months have passed since a report - based on information from a whistleblower - was lodged.

"We had received information on alleged abuse of power in MBPJ from a whistleblower, on allocations for several projects by the city council where payments were made but they were not executed.

"All officers are aware of this case, and MACC have gone to MBPJ to investigate, but to this day there have been no further actions," he said during a press conference at his office in Petaling Jaya today.

According to Rajiv, his office had twice written to the MACC, and the responses received merely stated that the probe was still ongoing.

"For your information, investigations on the information are still being carried out by MACC. In relation to that, the outcome of the investigation will be informed to you once it has been decided by the MACC's prosecution department," he said, quoting the two letters dated Nov 18 last year and Jan 20.

Rajiv further revealed that he had personally contacted MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya for an update but allegedly received no response.

"Although Latheefa refused to respond to my (Whatsapp) messages but as a friend, I knew she had read it, and she always scolded me for constantly disturbing her.

"Now it has been six months, and this is the first time that I exposed this and called for a press conference [...] I feel a need to make it public as I am uncomfortable with attempted cover-ups of corruption cases," he said.

Similarly, the MACC commissioner, too, gave Malaysiakini the silent treatment when contacted for a response to Rajiv's claims.

Rajiv further noted that MACC's zeal to crack down on major cases involving former ministers, including former premier Najib Razak and former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, could be misconstrued as its lack of focus to probe smaller scale corruption.

"Both are equally important so MACC should take this matter seriously and pursue further actions," he stressed. - Mkini