MACC must find real culprit behind LCS delay, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Follow-up action must be taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to find the real culprit behind the controversial delay in the RM9bil littoral combat ship (LCS) construction project, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the probe must continue as previous action was not enough to uncover the culprit.

"Although there was prosecution, it was not enough, as the scandal was done on a large scale.

"There were leakages... so there must be follow-up action," he said in reply to a supplementary question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) during Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 14).

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Ahmad Fadhli had asked the Prime Minister about follow-up action on governance issues that were raised before the 15th General Election.

In August, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee revealed that some RM1.4bil in government allocations for the LCs project had been diverted for other purposes.

Following this, former Navy chief Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor, 78, was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM21.08mil at the Sessions Court here.

Anwar said any investigations by the relevant bodies including the MACC or Inland Revenue Board must be comprehensive and not focused on just one party.

"That is why recently even the Shah Alam Umno division chief was charged.

"(If) any individual (is) found with strong evidence by the MACC (and) Attorney General's Chambers, they must accept it," he said.

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Anwar also hit out at the Opposition for making false accusations that he had interfered in the MACC's investigation.

"We are talking about justice and fighting against tyranny and baseless accusations.

"Please do not judge a person without any evidence.

"Don't call me cruel and accuse me of interfering. I want to tell those on the other side (Opposition), please remember, as a responsible Muslim, do you have evidence that Anwar interfered?

"If you do not have any evidence, that is cruel, using religion (and) making false accusations... mentioning my name," he added.

He also denied accusations that he interfered in the court case involving Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"His case is still ongoing. I did not interfere.

"You can ask the MACC and the AG. When did I interfere to reduce or withdraw the charges?

"I am not that kind of low-class politician," he said.