MACC urges Bersatu MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan to cooperate in its investigation into a claim he was offered bribes in return for supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
While the agency understood that Wan Saiful’s speech in the Dewan Rakyat was protected under the constitution, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said they were seeking his assistance as a witness.
“We are completely aware of all the law provisions (that give immunity to MPs in the Dewan Rakyat), but that is more towards actions in court.
“What we are asking him to do here is to assist our investigation by coming to the MACC office to give his statement, because we have already opened an investigation.
“We hope to get his cooperation because we want to get more details into what he had said in Parliament,” Azam (above) told Malaysiakini.
Malaysiakini had contacted the country’s top anti-graft officer for comments after Wan Saiful reportedly asked MACC to reconsider its position considering the privilege granted to MPs under the law.
The Tasek Gelugor MP was initially scheduled to give his statement to investigators at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on Friday, but at the last minute sent a letter through his lawyer that he could not make it due to the date being “unsuitable”.
Wan Saiful had also complained to the Dewan Rakyat that MACC was allegedly harassing him by seeking to record his statement regarding his speech in the august house.
‘Shed more light on the case’
Azam said the agency is duty-bound to investigate the matter as an allegation of corruption was made.
While they cannot compel Wan Saiful to give his statement due to his parliamentary immunity, he said, the Bersatu leader should help shed more light on the case.
Azam said Wan Saiful, through his lawyer, had also indicated that he was willing to cooperate with MACC, albeit with a condition that the agency shows how they can supersede the House of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act.
“The public wants to know whether the claims were true or otherwise. So now it is our duty to get evidence.
“We are not asking him to lodge a report, because a report has already been lodged and thus we have to conduct an investigation.
“So he is one of the people whom we need to assist in the investigation, we want to know what transpired because he is a witness.”
On Feb 28, Wan Saiful claimed in Parliament that he was offered an RM1.7 million allocation for his constituency in return for supporting Anwar.
He claimed that the people claiming to represent the prime minister also said they could make his criminal charges go away.
Following this, Azam asserted that anyone alleging a bribe offer bears the responsibility to report it immediately for further action.
However, in his complaint at the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Wan Saiful highlighted the immunity or inviolability MPs enjoy from civil proceedings for any petition or motion raised in the house, as outlined in Section 7 of the Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act.
Hence, he argued, no party can intervene in matters conclusively decided by the speaker, including speeches made in the house.
“When faced with such disturbances, it feels like undue pressure on MPs,” Wan Saiful remarked. - Mkini
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