Expect more high-profile exposés soon: MACC chief

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is in the midst of investigating other graft cases involving high-profile individuals, said chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

“There will be high-profile cases exposed in one or two months,” he was quoted as saying by New Straits Times.

Azam expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his support, which he said made investigating graft cases easier. 

“When there is a drive and political will from the top, especially the prime minister, it makes my job easier. I don’t have a headache. I can sleep at night.

“I can’t sleep when people start interfering with my job and ask me why am I investigating this or that…”

MACC’s most recent probe was into the Human Resources Ministry, following allegations that several of its officers had set up a migrant worker recruitment agency to obtain approval from the ministry despite conflicts of interest.

It led to three detainments to assist in the ongoing investigation, two of whom are its minister V. Sivakumar’s senior officers.

Other high-profile investigations include the probe into former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, leading to four charges of abuse of power totalling RM232.5 million.

The Perikatan Nasional chairman also faced two charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 allegedly involving RM195 million, which he was accused of receiving as illicit funds from Bukhary Equity deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB account. 

Muhyiddin also claimed one charge of money laundering, amounting to RM5 million.

The agency’s investigations also led to charges against Bersatu’s former information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, and Segambut deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.

Wan Saiful was charged with soliciting and receiving bribes worth RM6.9 million to help a private firm secure a central Spine Road government contract worth RM232 million in 2022. 

Adam similarly claimed trial to two similar charges for allegedly soliciting from Mat Jusoh Mamat, managing director of MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd, between 3.5% and 7% of the project value of a road project worth RM47.8 million. – The Vibes, April 18, 2023