A member of the government’s Special Committee on Corruption today heaped praise on the MACC for probing the exposés under the Pandora and Panama Papers.
However, Hassan Karim - who is also a PKR lawmaker - expressed hope that the probe will be non-partisan.
“Don’t let it be that only those who are viewed as rivals to the unity government in power now be probed while the supporters and members of the administration are not investigated.
“The MACC must be transparent, professional, and carry out its duties with integrity based on the principle of ‘without fear or favour’,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The Pandora and Panama Papers are two separate exposés by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in collaboration with partners around the world, including Malaysiakini.
It details international ownership of funds stashed in offshore entities.
Those currently under probe are former finance minister Daim Zainuddin and his family, as well as Mirzan Mahathir - the son of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir and Daim have claimed the probe to be an act of political persecution by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim - with whom they have an antagonistic relationship.
Mahathir had claimed that Mirzan was threatened with five years imprisonment.
In his statement, Hassan (above) voiced support for the MACC going against elites who were previously ‘untouchable’, including Mahathir’s son.
However, he said the MACC should not be making threats while carrying out their investigations, as alleged by Mahathir.
Offshore funds
Besides Daim and Mirzan, other Malaysians who were named in the exposés include Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; International Trade and Industries Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz; Selayang MP William Leong; Deputy Economy Minister Hanifah Hajar Taib; her brother Mahmud Abu Bekir; and former Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez Musa.
While owning offshore companies is not illegal, there has been public pressure for greater transparency of companies in trusts set up in tax havens to combat tax evasion and money laundering.
Zafrul was named as the director of Capital Investment Bank (Labuan) Limited, a boutique bank incorporated in the offshore jurisdiction of Labuan, but relinquished the post when he joined Maybank in 2010.
Others, including Daim and Leong, have said their offshore funds were from legal income and that all taxes had been paid.
The Special Committee on Corruption which Hassan is a a member of, is made up of appointees consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from both the Dewan Rakyat and Senate. - Mkini
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