Armada calls for MACC probe on Guan Eng, Tommy Thomas

PUTRAJAYA: The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth wing or Armada has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the former finance minister and former attorney general.

Federal Territory Armada chief Zahin Zainal said the MACC should investigate whether there were elements of power abuse when a freeze on the bank accounts of a businessman was lifted as a result of exchanges between Lim Guan Eng and Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.

Zahin, who arrived at the MACC headquarters with wing members from Selangor and Putrajaya on Tuesday (June 2), said several other state Armada movements would also be lodging similar reports against the two.

On June 1, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported that Lim had in 2019 asked the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) to lift restrictions on the tycoon's four bank accounts that had been frozen to facilitate an investigation into money laundering related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The report alleged that last year, Lim had asked Thomas, the then-AG, to lift the freeze on the tycoon's accounts.

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

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, FMT said in its report.

Lim later told another news portal that he had merely referred the matter to the AGC.