MACC confirms it lifted freeze on businessman's accounts on ex-AG Thomas' order

PUTRAJAYA: The anti-graft agency has confirmed reports stating that the lifting of a freeze on a businessman's accounts was a result of exchanges between two top officials under the previous Pakatan Harapan government.

A source in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said what was reported was factual and true.

"We believe there was a breach of confidentiality here, and we want to investigate this," said the source.

An online portal reported that former finance minister Lim Guan Eng had, in 2019, asked the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to lift restrictions on the tycoon’s four bank accounts which were frozen to facilitate an investigation into money laundering.

The report said Lim last year asked the Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to lift the freeze on the tycoon’s accounts.

Thomas allegedly responded two weeks later, informing Lim of case details and instructing MACC to lift the freeze.

This was despite MACC informing Thomas that the bulk of the money – some RM3.9mil – could not be recovered as it was no longer in one of the bank accounts said to have received the funds.