MACC has no right to dictate when to lodge a report, says Hamzah

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has no right to dictate when someone can report an act of corruption, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (pic).

The Opposition leader said this after the MACC told Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan to lodge a report within one week, following the Tasek Gelugor MP's claim he was offered RM1.7mil to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"He (Wan Saiful) has the right to report (to MACC) at any time. When the time is right, he will lodge it," he said after the closing ceremony of the Perikatan Nasional Representatives Convention in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (March 9).

ALSO READ: MACC chief urges Wan Saiful to report bribe attempt by March 10

During his debate on the motion of thanks on the Royal Address in parliament on Feb 28, Wan Saiful claimed he had been repeatedly asked to pledge support for the Prime Minister and offered RM1.7mil in parliamentary allocations, among others.

He also alleged that he was told that allocations for government projects could be distributed to his "cronies".

ALSO READ: I was offered RM1.7mil in allocations to betray PN, says Wan Saiful

Wan Saiful also claimed that outstanding corruption charges against him related to the Jana Wibawa project would be dropped if he pledged his support.

He claimed that he eventually agreed to meet the individuals making the offers at hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya.

Following his claims, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki on March 4 told Wan Saiful he had one week (until March 10) to lodge a report on his claims, adding that appropriate action could be taken if the Tasek Gelugor MP failed to do so.