‘Green light’ to go after VVIPs

PUTRAJAYA: There is no need for graft busters to get “blessings from the top” to probe ministers and top civil servants suspected of graft as the Prime Minister has already given the green light, says Tan Sri Azam Baki.

“The Prime Minister said there is no need to wait for his instructions or blessings.

“He has given me all the blessings to investigate,” said the MACC chief commissioner at the Communications and Digital Ministry’s Integrity Day.

“I can personally vouch that the Prime Minister is very serious and is driven to fight corruption.

“He once told me if ministers are living a lavish lifestyle, or if civil servants, his special officers or any special officers are suspected to be involved in corruption or any wrongdoings, to go and investigate,” Azam added.

Speaking to reporters after the event, he said there was no need to set up an independent committee to probe misconduct by the agency’s officers as the existing five independent panels were sufficient to carry out the job.

Azam said the independent panel looked into all aspects of the commission’s operations and activities to ensure they were transparent and free from interference.

He pointed out the complaints committee would look into allegations of wrongdoings made against MACC officers.

“If the allegations have a criminal element, it will be dealt with by the police and by us (MACC).

“In my opinion, the existing set up is sufficient,” he said.

On Monday, Damansara MP Gobing Singh Deo had once again asked in the Dewan Rakyat when the government would form a body to investigate MACC officers accused of misconduct.

On another matter, Azam said that Datuk Seri Muhammad Adlan Berhan, who is former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s son-in-law, has yet to be arrested ever since he was placed on Interpol’s Red Notice list.

“Adlan is still at large and we are getting assistance from other countries we have working ties with,” he added.

Asked if he knew the whereabouts of Muhammad Adlan, Azam said: “Let me keep this information to myself.”

Muhammad Adlan and lawyer Mansoor Saat are wanted to assist investigations into the misappropriation of millions of ringgit in funds related to the registration, recruitment and biometric storage of data of foreign workers for a ministry.

On another probe, Azam said the agency had completed its investigation into the alleged misappropriation of Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) funds.

Those found to have been involved in the scandal were already brought to face charges, he added.

“During our investigation, we found several weaknesses in Mitra’s procedures. The MACC has presented recommendations and advice to improve its procedures,” he said.

Mitra is a special government unit set up to address the socio-economic development of the Indian community, especially the B40 group.

Mitra had approved grant allocations totalling around RM203mil from 2019 to 2021 to a total of 337 companies, associations and NGOs.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Ramkarpal Singh was reported to have said that a total of 33 investigation papers had been opened into alleged misappropriation of Mitra funds.