Anti-graft body urged to act on sale of defence secrets

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must break its silence on the corruption-cum-treason case of selling Royal Malaysian Navy secrets to foreigners in connection with the purchase of the Scorpene submarines, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang says.

The selling of top secret documents from the Royal Malaysian Navy is an act of treason and national betrayal, the Ipoh Timor MP added. "It is also a despicable case of corruption... MACC must break its silence."

On Wednesday, French lawyer Joseph Breham, counsel for human rights NGO Suaram in its corruption case against Paris-owned shipbuilder DCNS, revealed that the company had paid 36 million euro (RM142 million) for a secret document of the RMN on the evaluation for the order of the Scorpene-class submarines.

The MACC operations review panel made a series of announcements yesterday, including clearing former women, family and community development minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil of any role in the National Feedlot Corporation scandal and for the 2009 graft probe against PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to be reopened. However, it did not have a word to say on Breham's expose.
Public confidence in MACC at new low

The silence, Lim said, has caused public confidence in the professionalism, independence, impartiality and integrity of the MACC to hit a new low 41 months after it was elevated from Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and with greatly expanded powers, budget and staffing.

"Malaysians are entitled to know why the MACC, including its operations evaluation panel, are totally unconcerned and unmoved by such heinous crimes of 'grand corruption' when they have so much time to be pawn and cat's-paw of the BN to harass and persecute Pakatan Rakyat leaders," he said in a statement.

These persecutions included the infamous case resulting in the death of Teoh Beng Hock in July 2009, the harassment of Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim as well as the disgraceful role of MACC in the undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional toppling of the Pakatan government of Perak in 2009, Lim added.

"MACC continues to be a standing joke as it has not been able to shake off its early image as a tool of the BN to hound and persecute Pakatan Rakyat leaders, or to establish its reputation as a fearless, uncompromising and dedicated graft-fighter, whether against ikan bilis or ikan yu."