Zafrul will be called in, says MACC

PETALING JAYA: Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz (pic) will be called in by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to have his statement recorded in relation to investigations into the Jana Wibawa project, says chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

He said the International Trade and Industry Minister will be called in soon.

Azam also confirmed that the MACC has recorded a statement from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the same investigation.

“Investigations are ongoing and it is inappropriate (for anyone) to draw their own conclusions, regardless if they are called in as witnesses or suspects,” he said in a statement yesterday, reported Bernama.

Azam said according to Section 30(1)(a) MACC Act 2009, an MACC officer investigating an offence may order any person to attend before him for the purpose of being examined orally in relation to any matter which may, in his opinion, assist in the investigation.

“They should wait until the investigation is completed before commenting on the investigation by the enforcement body,” he added.

In a tweet last Friday, Tengku Zafrul said he would give his full cooperation to the MACC in its probe into the Jana Wibawa programme.

The former finance minister said he has nothing to hide when it comes to Covid-19 financial aid given during Muhyiddin’s tenure as prime minister, should the MACC choose to question him.

“I will give my full cooperation,” he said in another tweet on Saturday.

“The media asked me about Jana Wibawa. There is nothing I need to hide and I am always ready to provide an explanation if asked to do so,” Tengku Zafrul added.

On Feb 18, Muhyiddin told the media that MACC “confirmed” that he was not a suspect in the ongoing investigation when he was called up to give his statement.

The Bersatu president had also named Tengku Zafrul as the one who approved the companies taking part in the Jana Wibawa programme, held during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic to assist bumiputra contractors.

The MACC is currently investigating allegations that the chosen contractors then deposited RM300mil into the Bersatu party account.

Muhyiddin had denied this, claiming it was political slander by those intending to smear his reputation as prime minister.

On Feb 15, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Finance Ministry would halt projects worth some RM5.7bil under the Jana Wibawa programme until the procurement and expenditure procedures set by the Treasury were followed.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the Finance Ministry had ordered the temporary halt as some of the projects had been awarded through direct negotiations.