Know when to speak up and when to be silent


REPORTS that a former senior minister and a prominent businessman, who is also a Tan Sri, are under investigation in relation to alleged misappropriation of over RM2.3 billion of national funds have set tongues wagging on their identity.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the other hand should be quiet about the matter.

Section 29(1) of the MACC Act 2009 empowers the MACC to investigate every report relating to an offence under the act. Where an officer of the commission has reason to suspect the commission of an offence under the act following a report, he must cause an investigation to be carried out – section 29(2).

Section 29(4) states the report must be kept secret and must not be disclosed to any person other than MACC officers and the public prosecutor until a suspect is charged in court for an offence under the act or any other law.

The disclosure can only be made with the consent of the public prosecutor or an officer of the commission, of the rank commissioner and above.

We should remain silent unless we are required by an MACC officer to give any information, failing which we would have committed an offence. – May 20, 2023.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.


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