Mirzan Mahathir gets 30 days to declare all assets

PUTRAJAYA: Businessman Mirzan Mahathir (pic) has been given 30 days to declare all his assets, be it in the country or abroad, says the country’s graft investigation body.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) also confirmed it had, since August 2022, begun investigating all entities named in the Pandora Papers as well as the Panama Papers.

On Mirzan, the MACC said he was called to assist in an ongoing investigation.

Mirzan is the son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The MACC said the businessman was present at its headquarters here at 9.30am on Wednesday, and a notice under Section 36(1)(b) of the MACC Act was handed over to him.

“The notice requires him (Mirzan) to declare all assets in his possession, whether they are located overseas or here (in the country).

“The 30 days are from the date of the notice,” MACC said in a statement yesterday.

The MACC said the order was an extension to an investigation that is being carried out in relation to information contained in the Panama Papers.

The agency said it was also looking at Mirzan’s business activities related to sales and purchases of government-linked companies.

An investigation is being carried out under the MACC Act as well as the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

On its investigations in relation to entities listed in the Pandora Papers and Panama Papers, the MACC said it had, to date, called up 10 witnesses for their statements to be recorded.

“The MACC is also studying the financial documents and assets of entities listed in the reports,” it said.

The Star reported that graft investigators have summoned the son of a former prime minister to assist in their probe into his business activities back in the 1990s.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation said the individual was called several weeks ago and again yesterday.