MACC probes RM90mil alleged payment to PAS

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened an investigation paper following a report lodged by an individual that RM90mil was allegedly paid to PAS, Free Malaysia Today reported.

“We have classified the case under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001,” a source told the news portal.

The source said the MACC received the report from police on Tuesday (Feb 5) afternoon.

Earlier, Amanah deputy Youth chief Faiz Fadzil urged the authorities to open an investigation against PAS to determine if the allegation that the Islamist party received RM90mil from Umno or funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was true.

He made the call after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang opted for an out-of-court settlement with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle Brown.

Terengganu Amanah chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah had also called the PAS leadership to give a full explanation why it opted for an out-of-court settlement with Rewcastle Brown over the defamation suit.

Abdul Hadi sued Rewcastle Brown for libel over an article she published on Aug 6, 2016, alleging the party received RM90mil in bribes from Umno.

She filed a counterclaim in October 2017 but last Friday (Feb 1), the case was settled out of court. 

According to PAS treasurer Razman Zakaria, the increasing cost of legal fees is one reason why PAS opted for the out-of-court settlement.

On Sunday (Feb 3), former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak denied he gave RM90mil to Abdul Hadi or PAS, as claimed in the Sarawak Report article.

Najib also said that the current Pakatan Harapan administration had thoroughly investigated Umno's bank accounts since GE14.

"If there was any payment from me or Umno, the Pakatan-led government would have frozen either Abdul Hadi's or PAS' bank accounts," he said on his Facebook post.