MACC probing all who allegedly received kickbacks from UKSB

 

According to a source, MACC officers were previously instructed to focus on Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and not the other names mentioned in the ledger.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is probing everyone who allegedly received kickbacks from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) including businessmen and the nephew of a former prime minister, says a source in the know.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said MACC had, a few years ago, looked into some of the names mentioned in a ledger kept by a former UKSB manager.

The existence of the ledger was revealed in former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial.

“In some instances, there was simply no case. Like in the case of Khairy Jamaluddin, the money went to his Umno division but he had no authority to help UKSB in their business, so it was considered a political donation, and there is no law against that,” said the source.

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“In the case of Muhyiddin Yassin, there was no evidence that he received any money. His name was mentioned in the ledger, but we could not find any evidence. So how can we charge him?”

The source said MACC officers also discovered that a nephew of a former prime minister received RM1.3 million from UKSB.

“There were also businessmen who received money. But we were instructed at the time to just focus on Zahid,” the source said.

“But now we are continuing where we left off and probing everyone mentioned in the ledger again.”

The source’s remarks come amid increasing scrutiny of those mentioned in the ledger, which also included former foreign minister Anifah Aman, former Sabah chief minister Shafie Apdal, housing and local government minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican and defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Muhyiddin, Khairy and Anifah have since denied receiving any funds from UKSB.

Earlier today, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) called on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to probe MACC for its inaction in investigating those who, apart from Zahid, had allegedly received kickbacks from UKSB.

This prompted former prime minister Najib Razak to take a jab at Pakatan Harapan appointees Latheefa Koya, the ex-MACC chief commissioner, and former attorney-general Tommy Thomas for not initiating a probe into the others.

Both Latheefa and Thomas held office when Zahid was charged with receiving bribes from UKSB on June 26, 2019. - FMT