PUTRAJAYA, Aug 6 — In a completely unexpected turn of events, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang shook hands with a top Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) official today to show the opposition’s solidarity with the beleaguered anti-graft agency that is under investigation over its probe on 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a far cry from the days when the DAP used to slam the MACC over the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.
The DAP led opposition leaders, including PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Harapan Baru chief Mohamad Sabu, to gather at the MACC office in Putrajaya today to show support for the agency, whose officers have been questioned by the police and their homes and offices raided on suspicion of leaking documents in its investigation on the state-owned fund.
“This situation of police harassing MACC must stop,” Lim said in a press conference outside MACC’s office after the group met MACC strategic communications director Rohaizad Yaakob.
Rohaizad said the MACC was “grateful for the support shown” by the opposition leaders as well as the people and will “continue to do our best work”.
Not a single lawmaker from the ruling Barisan Nasional was present at the gathering.
Lim, who is Gelang Patah MP, reminded government agencies to stop going after each other and to focus on doing their jobs instead without “fear and favour”.
“We should not carry out activities as if suspecting each other as traitors, MACC should be allowed to carry out its anti corruption duty,” he said.
PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli, who was also present, urged the public to continue to lodge reports with the MACC on donations to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak after the anti-graft agency said yesterday that the RM2.6 billion donation to the prime minister came from the Middle East, without specifying who the donors were.
“The MACC is not just get getting pressured but is being disturbed in their investigations. The people have to give a clear message to Najib, we ask for the public to lodge reports on the donations to MACC,” said Rafizi.
“Now PM has claimed that the balance in his accounts is from a ‘donor’. MACC is empowered by the Act to investigate as the donation is considered a form of gratification. The law is clear that if assumed the gratification is corrupt you can be punished by the law,” he added, referring to the agency’s 2009 Act.
Mohamad, or better known as Mat Sabu, urged Najib to take a leave of absence as the events which transpired in the past few days have shaped a negative perception of his administration and the authorities.
“We don’t want the allegations to continue that MACC has no power. What happened in the past few days have solidified allegations that the authorities can be influenced. There should no be no interference on MACC’s duties from other institutions; it should be left to do its job,” he told reporters.
The MACC special operations divisions’ office was raided by the police last night and two of their officers, who were among the three taken in for questioning earlier yesterday afternoon at the Putrajaya police district headquarters, have been arrested.
The duo’s office in Precinct 3, Putrajaya, and their homes were raided by the police, confirmed MACC deputy chief commissioner (prevention) Datuk Mustafar Ali.
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