Slew of SOP recommendations for MACC

Point of matter: Rais speaking to the media after the special committee meeting in Parliament in Kuala Lumpur. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Money seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for investigation purposes should be kept at Bank Negara Malaysia instead of the commission’s vaults, says the Special Committee on Corruption.

Its chairman Tan Sri Rais Yatim said had this been implemented before, the recent case where nearly US$7mil (RM29mil) seized by the MACC that went missing under its watch would not have happened.

“Over US$6mil kept in the MACC’s storage vault went missing. This is a huge issue and cannot be ignored.

“We called for the issue to be looked into and thankfully, the case is now in court.

“Our committee is recommending that seized items in the form of large amounts of money be kept at Bank Negara.

“Had this been the case, the recent incident wouldn’t have happened,” the Dewan Negara president told a press conference after chairing the committee meeting yesterday.

The case of the missing money saw an MACC senior enforcer charged at the Sessions Court here on Jan 4 with criminal breach of trust involving US$6.94mil (RM29mil).

The missing money in question is associated with former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation head Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid, who in April last year was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court of criminal breach of trust involving RM50.4mil in government funds.

Yesterday’s press conference also included other members of the Special Committee on Corruption: Senator Zaiedi Suhaili, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim, and Bukit Bendera MP Wong Hon Wai.

Another recommendation by the committee is that there should be no double standards in the use of the orange-coloured lockup outfits by MACC detainees.

“All accused individuals should be given the same treatment. Yet, while some had to put on the orange outfit, there were others who didn’t have to. They even wore coats and neckties, as if they were about to attend meetings.

“If the instruction is to put on the orange outfit, then it should apply to everyone,” said Rais.

He also said the committee has called for high-profile corruption cases to be dealt with more quickly.

While he acknowledged that this falls under the powers of the judiciary, Rais said he believes that there is room for consensus between the public prosecutor, the police, the MACC and the courts.

“For example, it can be discussed how a high-profile case can be managed in a reasonable time frame, from the time it is transferred between the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court.

“A philosophy of law that we practise states that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, and we should respect this.

“This way, Malaysia will be respected not only by its citizens, but also outsiders who also practise the common rule of law,” said Rais.