Kuala Lumpur, 9th August, 2015 – Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) strongly opposes the obstruction of the MACC’s investigations by the police or any other agencies, which is unlawful under Section 48 of the MACC Act.
Since 31st July, seven of the MACCs investigators have either been arrested, detained for questioning, come under investigation, had their homes or offices raided and laptops and documents seized and now as reported, two of their directors have been transferred out of MACC to the PM’s department. This is a significant hindrance to the investigation and intrusion of MACC’s role. MACC Special Operations Director Datuk Bahari had stated that the police “wouldn’t do crazy work unless there were hidden hands” ordering them, and Deputy Chief Commissioner Datuk Hj Mustafar Ali affirmed that the police action “had more or less disrupted the smoothness of the investigation process …” There certainly appears to be a systematic dismantling and neutralization of the MACC, an institution launched by the PM himself for the sole and noble purpose of investigating and eradicating corruption in the nation! How the tables have turned! It is as if some are allowed to operate above our own anti-corruption laws and immune from MACC’s statutory powers.
The IGP and Deputy IGP have denied interference, yet the occurrence of such events proves otherwise. To put it mildly has the police not acted in a high-handed manner in interfering with the MACC’s probe as reportedly mentioned by one Minister?
With the sudden pre-mature death of the 1MDB taskforce, unjust pressure on public institutions, the replacement of the Attorney General, swift cabinet reshuffle, elevation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members into the cabinet and clamp down on the media, and now the unprecedented attack on the MACC, public confidence is plummeting as parliamentary democracy is being compromised daily. The irony of it is that some of these unjustifiable actions are made in the name of preserving parliamentary democracy! Are we not bordering on becoming not just a failed state but an oppressed one as well?
“Loyalty to the country – always, loyalty to the government – only if they deserve it” Mark Twain
Dato’ Akhbar Satar
President,
Transparency International Malaysia
Transparency International-Malaysia is an independent, non-governmental and non-partisan organisation committed to the fight against corruption.
