KUALA LUMPUR – Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) panel member Prof Edmund Terence Gomez has lambasted Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (LPPR) chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang’s denials over emails that were sent to the board’s administration.
The email thread sighted by The Vibes clearly details Gomez’s complaints to Abu Zahar, dated November 10, 2021 (Wednesday) at 9.04pm with the subject title “MACC matters”.
The email was sent to [email protected] and was courtesy copied (cc) to another LPPR member, Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar, at [email protected] from Gomez’s email [email protected].
The professor had introduced himself to Abu Zahar, seeing that they have never met, before delving into the matter at hand, voicing his concern over the “bad publicity” that the anti-graft body has been subjected to recently.
“The issues being discussed about MACC, including in parliament over the past week, which were widely reported, deal with matters that bring into question the good name and credibility of this institution.
“I have also attached here a report that was sent to me about matters pertaining to the MACC. I know the author of this report as she worked for the anti-corruption NGO, C4. I now serve as Chairman of C4.
“I spoke to the author about her report and she stands by everything she has written. This report is being widely discussed in NGO circles and reports have been published about it.
“Given the serious nature of the matters raised in this report, as well as what has been discussed in parliament, I suggest that it be tabled for discussion at the next meeting of the MACC Advisory Board.
“Please do let me know if you plan to do so. I have also proposed that Tan Sri Borhan convene a meeting of our Panel as I plan to raise this matter there,” said Gomez in his email to Abu Zahar.
Following the first email, Gomez had then sent an email to the head of his panel, Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (PPPR) chairman Tan Sri Borhan Dolah on November 12 at 11.53am.
His email was sent to [email protected] from Gomez’s Yahoo account, where he attached the November 10 email to Abu Zahar, as well as a document titled: “Business Ties Among MACC Leadership: How Deep Does It Go?”
Gomez had requested an urgent meeting with Borhan’s panel members.
“Earlier this week, I mentioned this request for a meeting in our Whatsapp group, when I asked En Kamaruddin to approach you about it. Since I have not received a response to my request, I am following up with a personal email to you.
“Please see below the letter that I sent two days ago to Tan Sri Abu Zahar, the Chairman of MACC's Advisory Board. In this letter, I have set out the issue I feel we need to discuss.
“For the reasons stated in my letter to Tan Sri Abu Zahar, I feel that our Panel should also meet, more so since we focus on Corruption Prevention,” he said.
He had also advised Borhan to call for a joint meeting with Abu Zahar’s advisory board, citing the urgency of the issue and the need to make a “collective public response”.
On the same day at 11.16pm, Borhan had replied to Gomez’s email from his iPad, which read:
“Dear Prof,
“We will (look) into having a meeting of our Panel and advised MACC accordingly (sic).
“Thank you
“Borhan”
The next day, on November 13 at 9.01am, Gomez thanked Borhan for his response.
Later, on November 26 at 10.05am, the professor once again emailed Borhan asking for the status of the panel meeting.
Gomez had also attached four more documents pertaining to his allegations against MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki’s alleged business ties.
Yesterday, it was reported that Abu Zahar said there were no emails from Gomez alleging misconduct by Azam.
Abu Zahar told Utusan Malaysia that the board’s administration is still waiting for the emails Gomez claimed to have sent.
“Not a single email was received. I also checked with the administration and they said no letter was received. Gomez’s statement has tarnished my integrity,” he was quoted as saying.
Days ago, Borhan said recent email exchanges between the panel and former member Gomez were not related to the latter’s dissatisfaction with Azam.
Borhan told Berita Harian on December 27 that the two emails sent by Gomez since November did not touch on any alleged wrongdoings by Azam.
Instead, he said, Gomez had only stated his concerns about MACC facing a barrage of criticism from several quarters and called for the panel to convene an immediate meeting to help resolve the agency’s woes.
This comes amid Gomez stepping down as PPPR member, claiming a failure to discuss accusations of conflict of interest against some of its leaders.
In his resignation letter to Borhan, Gomez raised his concern that there was a “nexus between business and law enforcement” and a “conflict of interest” allegedly involving members of its top leadership. – The Vibes, January 2, 2022
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