KUALA LUMPUR – Probes to bring to light perpetrators of corrupt practices in the troubled Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) are far from over, said deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor-PH).
Addressing the Dewan Rakyat today, Ramkarpal said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened 33 investigation papers into the misappropriation of Mitra funds, ten of which have been brought to court.
“Many investigation papers have not been completed yet. In other words, (probes into Mitra) are still ongoing,” he said in Parliament today during his winding-up speech on Budget 2023.
He added that other MPs who have information on possible corruption within the unit are welcome to lodge reports with anti-graft agencies.
In response, M. Kula Segaran (Ipoh Barat-PH) urged the government to follow up on its previous demands for certain party leaders to be investigated over graft allegations involving Mitra.
“We have seen one or two individuals being brought to court, but the big fish has been left outside.
“We (PH) are now part of the government…we should not conspire with them (to cover up misdeeds),” he said.
In February last year, MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said the first 10 cases on the Mitra scandal have been submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.
A total of 337 companies, associations, and non-governmental organisations were identified to have been approved for Mitra grants from 2019 to 2021, with approximately RM203 million in allocations.
This came after the agency arrested 16 company directors on suspicion of being involved in the mishandling of Mitra funds.
It is estimated that the group misused tens of millions of ringgit from the unit after originally applying for Mitra grants to organise programmes for the Indian community.
Mitra was first placed under the Prime Minister’s Department during the 2018 PH administration, but was moved to the National Unity Ministry in April 2020 after the Sheraton Move that toppled the PH government.
The unit was then returned to the then Prime Minister’s Department in September last year.
MACC to look into Hamzah’s admittance on retaining files?
Meanwhile, Gobind Singh Deo (Damansara-PH) called on MACC to look into claims made by opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut-PN), who purportedly held “files against the current government” from his tenure as home minister.
“Is this not a form of power abuse that should be investigated by MACC? What is MACC going to do once a former minister has made such a statement?
“MACC has said that they have not received a report on the matter, but their officers have the authority to file a report and initiate probes. After reading (Hamzah’s) statement, they should be making a report,” Gobind said in the lower house.
Yesterday, Hamzah warned the government against finding fault with Perikatan Nasional as he has materials that would allow him to retaliate against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.
“I used to be the home minister. I think I’ve got a lot of files against them too, whether I want to use them,” he said during an interview with The Star. – The Vibes, March 13, 2023
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