[UPDATED] Investigation papers on judge Nazlan with us: MACC

KUALA LUMPUR – The investigation papers involving judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali are back with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after the attorney-general said they were not with him.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said it is a normal process for investigation papers to be sent back to the agency repeatedly for further investigation, he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian after an MACC event in Putrajaya today.

“Perhaps the answer the attorney-general gave on the matter was brief. Maybe he meant that they (papers) were no longer in his possession.”

“However, the investigation papers given to him were sent back to us, and sent to him again before being returned to us for further action.”

On August 21, Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun said the papers on Nazlan were not with his office.

This came after Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan urged MACC to make clear whether there was a case against Nazlan, while the AGC should state if further action would be taken on investigation papers that were submitted.

This follows developments in Najib’s final appeal in the Federal Court on his SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption conviction, wherein the apex court refused his application to adduce new evidence pertaining to alleged conflict of interest involving Nazlan.

On May 21, MACC in a statement said it was up to the AGC seeing that the anti-graft agency had completed its investigation into Nazlan, including collecting relevant evidence in accordance with established guidelines and procedures.

Nazlan was the presiding high court judge in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s SRC International trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court that commenced in April 2019 and delivered the guilty verdict in July 2020.

He was also the judge who convicted and sentenced Najib on charges relating to RM42 million belonging to SRC International in July 2020. 

MACC was heavily criticised after it launched an investigation into Nazlan, with senior lawyers and politicians warning that it was an attack on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. 

The investigation on Nazlan was launched after three separate complaints were lodged on March 14, April 23, and April 27. – The Vibes, September 8, 2022