MUHYIDDIN & HAMZAH DIG NEW GRAVES FOR THEMSELVES – HAMZAH’S ‘I HAVE FILES’ NOT ONLY SMACKS OF ‘BLACKMAIL’ BUT KEEPING THE FILES WHEN HE’S NO LONGER HOME MINISTER MAY BE A CRIME – WHILE MUHYIDDIN’S ‘POLITICAL PERSECUTION’ LOOKS SET TO BOOMERANG – WHEN BOTH MACC CHIEF & AG WERE HIS OWN APPOINTMENTS & HE HAD LAVISHED HIGH PRAISE ON THEIR PROFESSIONALISM
MACC officers can lodge reports over Hamzah’s claim, says deputy minister
Ramkarpal Singh says it is common practice for MACC officers to lodge reports about alleged wrongdoing.
KUALA LUMPUR: Anti-corruption officers should lodge a report over a claim by former home minister Hamzah Zainudin that he has files on leaders of the government, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
The officers should lodge the reports with the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, said deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh.
“It is common practice,” he said while winding-up the debate on the ministry’s budget estimates.
He said Hamzah’s claim was serious and warranted attention.
Hamzah is secretary-general of Bersatu and the parliamentary opposition leader.
He was reported yesterday to have warned the government not to find fault with Perikatan Nasional as he could do the same since he had “files on government party leaders” during his tenure as home minister.
Malaysiakini quoted him as saying it was a matter of whether or not he wanted to use the files against them.
MACC reviews move for parliamentary oversight
Ramkarpal said MACC was currently reviewing the mechanism for the appointment of its chief commissioner should the anti-graft agency be placed under parliamentary oversight.
The public services department, the accountant-general’s department and the Attorney-General’s Chambers were involved in the review.
He said any changes to the appointment of the MACC chief would require several amendments to the MACC Act and the constitution.
Ramkarpal said this in response to Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN – Pasir Mas), who asked whether MACC would be placed under a parliamentary select committee to prevent any abuse of the agency by the government against the opposition.
Earlier this month, MACC chief Azam Baki said he was open to having the appointments of its chief and senior officers placed under parliamentary oversight.
Mitra probe continuing
Ramkarpal said that investigations into the scandal-ridden Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit are continuing, and further instructions from the deputy public prosecutor are awaited regarding several investigation papers into misappropriation from the fund.
In response, M Kula Segaran (PH – Ipoh Barat) called on the government to look into demands for leaders and members from “a certain political party” to be investigated.
“We have seen one or two individuals being brought to court, but the big fish has been left outside,” Kula said. FMT
Anwar’s aide files police report against Muhyiddin
The report was lodged by Kamil Abdul Munim who is the political secretary to Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as the finance minister.
PETALING JAYA: An aide to Anwar Ibrahim has lodged a police report against Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin over his claims that the government was misusing enforcement agencies for political persecution.
The report was lodged by Kamil Abdul Munim, the political secretary to Anwar, in his capacity as finance minister.
The report said Muhyiddin’s claim amounted to “slander and a malicious accusation to create a wrong perception on the integrity of the enforcement agencies as well as the prosecution”.
It alleged the remarks were intended to ruin Anwar’s image by saying that the charges against Muhyiddin were ordered by higher authority in government.
Muhyiddin was charged on Friday with four counts of soliciting bribes amounting to RM232.5 million and two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million in relation to Jana Wibawa. This morning, another money laundering charge was brought against him at the Shah Alam sessions court. FMT
FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
.