Hamzah claims govt using MACC to 'kill' Bersatu's reputation

 

Following the freezing of Bersatu’s bank accounts, its secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin has decried the current administration for allegedly using a government agency as a tool to “kill” the party’s credibility as well as that of Perikatan Nasional.

Hamzah, in a statement today, expressed disappointment over the government’s actions and said the people are aware of the current administration’s “sleazy” strategy to divert the people’s attention from its weakness, failure and nepotism.

“Bersatu can accept the reason behind the measure taken by the MACC, as part of their investigation process against the defamation thrown at the party.

“Bersatu will continue to cooperate in the investigation so that malicious slander on the party can be stopped immediately,” he said, adding that party leaders and officials have been asked to give their full cooperation.

This comes after the confirmation by MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki that Bersatu’s accounts had been frozen to facilitate investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.

The revelation came just one day after the party declared its 2020 and 2021 accounts, in an attempt to counter allegations of corruption.

It was initially believed that the freeze is related to the MACC's probe on government funds amounting to RM92.5 billion of pandemic stimulus funds that were allegedly misappropriated.

However, a MACC source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the account freeze was over allegations that Bersatu received contributions from some 10 contractors who received various projects when the party was running the government.

According to the source, the number of contributions was suspected to be more than RM300 million in total.

They claimed that the balance in the two Bersatu bank accounts is currently around RM40 million.

In early January, the MACC detained a chief executive officer of a private company as a suspect in its probe.

The CEO is suspected to be a middle person in the distribution of government projects under the economic stimulus package between 2020 and 2022.

The detainee later turned out to be a Bersatu division leader - although party deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu distanced party president Muhyiddin Yassin from any wrongdoing.

It was also alleged that RM4.5 billion of this amount had ended up in PN’s war chest for the 15th general election, a claim Muhyiddin had strongly denied.

The party yesterday released its audited accounts to further dispel such allegations. - Mkini