Corruption prevention panel to seek AG's chambers explanation

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is concerned over speculation in the media regarding two former officers of a cabinet minister who were not brought to court, as announced last week. "As an independent panel, we're concerned with this development as it could lead to public speculation or perception of an outside interference," said MACC consultation and corruption prevention advisory panel chairman Datuk Johan Jaaffar. In a statement to Bernama, the panel strongly felt that in the interest of transparency, the attorney-general's (AG) chambers owed the public an explanation. The panel said it was saddened by mounting speculation of 'political intervention' or 'selective prosecution' in the delay, but added it believed such thing was far from the truth. The 11-member panel further said it strongly opposed to any interference, political or otherwise, to MACC's efforts to fight corruption as this could erode public confidence in the MACC or the AG's Chambers, as well as the government itself. The MACC, in its statement earlier, said the ex-political secretary with the title of Datuk, and a director of one of the foundations headed by the Datuk, would be charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court under the Penal Code on alleged criminal breach of trust involving more the RM1.1 million and another charge of alleged cheating worth RM1 million. The panel said it would seek an explanation from the AG's Chambers as to why the duo, one of whom was a former political secretary, were not charged as the MACC had announced in a press statement on Monday. According to Johan, when members of the panel received their letters of re-appointment for another term from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently, the prime minister reiterated his commitment that although the MACC had shown all-round improvement in fighting corruption, it should always strive to do better, in line with the rising expectations of the rakyat to weed out the scourge. The duo were arrested by MACC and were released on a RM50,000 bail each. It said the three foundations were set up between the 1980s and 2011, but were not registered as welfare organisations or societies. Instead, they were operating as companies with limited liability. MACC said both men held the positions of directors and members of the boards of trustees of the three foundations, and the funds were withdrawn from the accounts, in contravention of the objectives for which the bodies were formed.