UMNO has firmly denied any involvement in the ongoing investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding the discovery of large sums of cash and gold bars at an individual's residence.
The party's secretary-general, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said today UMNO has no connection to the case and stressed that the MACC must be allowed to conduct its probe independently and transparently.
"The party firmly believes that MACC should be allowed to conduct its investigation transparently, independently, and fairly, without any interference," Asyraf said in a statement on Thursday.
"UMNO has made it clear that it will not hesitate to take legal action against any party that deliberately connects, accuses, or creates the perception that the party is involved in the case under investigation," Asyraf added.
The investigation has sparked significant public attention following the MACC's statement on March 3 that it would record a statement from former Prime Minister and former UMNO vice-president, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in connection with his asset declaration and the ongoing investigation.
The meeting between the MACC and Ismail Sabri is scheduled to take place on Friday (March 7).
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki revealed that Ismail Sabri is now considered a suspect rather than just a witness in the investigation.
On Sunday, the MACC disclosed that it had seized approximately RM170 million in foreign currencies and 16kg of gold worth nearly RM7 million from "safe houses" as part of its investigation into four senior officers who previously worked under Ismail Sabri.
The seized foreign currencies included Thai baht, Saudi riyal, British pound, Korean won, euro, Swiss francs, and Chinese yuan.
The developments have intensified scrutiny on the case, though UMNO remains resolute in distancing itself from the matter, calling for the investigation to proceed without any unfounded links to the party. – March 6, 2025
