No cases swept under the carpet, says MACC

There are no cases referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which have been swept under the carpet, said the graft body in obvious reference to its investigations on the country’s top prosecutor, Abdul Gani Patail.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull (left) also said the panel is transparent.

“I would like to reply on the allegations made by the former Ho Hup managing director. I want to explain that the MACC investigation is transparent and done professionally regardless of whom we are investigating.

“All cases would be tabled before the Operations Review Panel which is fair and independent. There are no cases swept under the carpet. Please show evidence if there are any MACC officers who are alleged to deliberately investigate to cover a case. We will take stern action,” said Shukri in an SMS reply to Malaysiakini.

The Operations Review Panel is chaired by former auditor-general Hadenan Abdul Jalil.

Other members include senior lawyer Cecil Abraham, iA Group founder Md Hamzah Md Kassim, Bank Islam chairperson Zamani Abdul Ghani, accounting professor Syed Noh Syed Ahmad,  Malaysian Accountancy Institute president Nik Mohd Hasyudeen Yusoff, Audit and Assurance Standards board member Walter Sandosam and Ethical Commerce Institute founder Aminah Pit Abdul Rahman.

Shukri’s reply came in the midst of former Ho Hup Construction Bhd managing director Low Tuck Choy saying yesterday that the MACC was only interested to cover up its case as its officers who went to the construction company’s premises had asked about the source of the leak.

Low, who said the documents linked to allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Abdul Gani are genuine, and that he and the company knew who signed the payment voucher and company cheque to pay RM18,000 in the renovations allegedly for Gani’s Seremban bungalow.

Gani had since denied having owned any property in Seremban, where earlier blog reports had suggested that it was owned by the AG’s second wife.

Low, who is the son of Ho Hup founder the late Low Chee, and whose family still has a substantial stake in the construction company, had also questioned whether the MACC had gone to check the electrical contractor who is doing the renovations.

It was reported that Gani had favoured Ho Hup’s former executive deputy chairperson Vincent Lye, who also hails from Sabah, in the company’s corporate tussle during 2008. Lye was formerly executive deputy chairperson from 2008 and 2010.

Bring your lawyer along, Low told

In a related development, MACC director of investigations Mustafar Ali had also sent an SMS to Malaysiakini reiterating its previous press statement that Low can come to them to show the proof.

“He can bring his lawyers with him if he so wishes,” said Mustafar (right) in an SMS.

The MACC had in its statement last week said it won’t be calling Low to assist in the investigations, though it would welcome any further evidence in his possession from him. It also said it had begun its probe on Abdul Gani last September.

Low had described such statements as showing that the MACC was not serious in its probe.

He had on July 20 lodged a police report against the authorities’ inaction against the top prosecutor. This follows Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department VK Liew having said that the MACC is mulling over whether to investigate Abdul Gani.
 
Besides lodging a police report, Low has also lodged reports to the MACC and the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry over the same issues, but there has been no reply.

This recent Ho Hup allegations which Abdul Gani has denied are not the only ones alleged about the country’s top prosecutor. The AG has been alleged by former top cop Mat Zain Ibrahim to have abused his powers in Anwar's black-eye case, where he was said to have appointed Dr Abdul Rahman Yusof after the police had appointed their own doctors.

Abdul Gani is also said to have been taken a haj pilgrimage trip with alleged shady character Shahidan Shafie, who was said to have paid for the Ag’s trip, along his family. Shahidan is said to be close to former Malaysia Airlines chairperson Tajudin Ramli. Abdul Gani has been cleared of this allegation by the MACC.