KOTA KINABALU: Prosecution of any alleged corruption can only be done with proof and according to procedure, not ordered arbitrarily, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“I don’t want to be a Prime Minister who is like, 'Oh, we must arrest' or 'Oh, we must charge'," he said when officiating the Sabah-level Kaamatan celebration in Penampang near here on Friday (May 30).
"I am not a dictator who (orders) arrests immediately,” he stressed, adding that the fight against corruption must be waged at all levels.
He said he has a duty to maintain peace and uphold the law, but not to the extent of prosecuting without investigations and proof.
Anwar was commenting on the so-called "whistleblower videos" implicating state ministers and assemblymen in a mining prospecting scandal.
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“I want to be straightforward. What’s the use of only saying nice things that sound good? I did not want to get involved (at first, when) those videos... were circulated.
“But when things grew hotter, of course I asked the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) about it,” he said, adding that a thorough investigation was ongoing.
He said people questioning why he did not intervene had made it sound like he was trying to cover up the alleged graft.
“We are not a country of perception. These things cannot be handled based on perception, accusation and slander,” Anwar said.
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As Malaysia is a nation that works on the law, Anwar said videos released in bits and pieces could not be used to charge people without proper investigations carried out and referred to prosecutors, who would then decide.
During the event, Anwar urged state leaders and the community to work closely with the Federal Government to uphold sovereignty, boost socio-economic development, and fight for rights as well as other matters related to the people's well-being.
