The police have not questioned any MACC officers or senior personnel in a “corporate mafia”-linked probe they have been working on since last October.
Bukit Aman’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing (Amla) Investigation Unit chief Fazlisyam Abd Majid said that statements have been recorded from 41 people thus far - none of whom were attached to the anti-graft agency, the New Straits Times reported.
The report added that police investigations into the “corporate mafia” involving businessperson Victor Chin have found no indication of MACC officers’ involvement in the matter.
Fazlisyam is believed to be referring to probes under Ops Viking, which was launched on Oct 14 last year, based on intelligence dating back to 2018.
While he previously said the operation was conducted until Jan 13 this year, Fazlisyam today cited ongoing investigations in declining further comments to NST.
On March 30, Fazlisyam said Chin was among 10 individuals detained in December last year under Ops Viking on suspicion of involvement in money laundering activities, with the businessperson having since been released on police bail.
Fazlisyam described the case as involving several individuals suspected of committing money laundering offences through various methods, including the acquisition or ownership of publicly listed companies on Bursa Malaysia, as well as private companies.
Muscling out rivals
The operation was also launched months before Bloomberg, on Feb 12 this year, alleged that the MACC, including its higher-ups, had colluded with businesspersons in schemes to muscle out rivals and stage corporate takeovers.
Among others, the report claimed that an investigative unit dubbed "Section D" played a big part in the alleged collusion between private interests and the graft busters, with MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki accused of supporting the unit.
While the police have not explicitly said that Ops Viking is related to the “corporate mafia,” government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil on March 11 said several individuals suspected of corporate manipulation have already been on enforcement agencies’ radar for several years.
He said this in affirming that the cabinet had ordered law enforcement agencies - including the police, Inland Revenue Board, the MACC, and Securities Commission - to investigate allegations of corporate manipulation.
MACC had previously denied allegations that its officers are entangled in the “corporate mafia” scheme, dismissing such claims as baseless while alleging they are part of a smear campaign intended to undermine the agency’s reputation.
Withholding findings?
On Monday, Bloomberg claimed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wanted those involved in the investigation into Azam’s shareholdings to withhold from the public their findings, tabled at a cabinet meeting on March 11.
The alleged hold on the report’s disclosure is supposedly until law enforcement agencies complete their separate investigations into the “corporate mafia” scandal implicating the MACC.
Bloomberg also claimed that Anwar was planning to let Azam step aside after his contract expires in May, and that the anti-graft chief was allegedly lobbying to be made a senator after he retires from civil service.
Last night, Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar denied the claims, adding that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will be taking action against Bloomberg over the allegations.
Without disclosing details of the outcome of investigations into Azam’s shareholdings, Shamsul said that following the probe, proceedings had been initiated under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993. - Mkini
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