MALAYSIAN Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad should recuse himself from any probe related to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, including the US Department of Justice (DoJ)’s latest civil assets forfeiture complaint, DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh said.

The Bukit Gelugor MP said this was because Dzulkifli was attached to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) when the AG cleared Prime Minister Najib Razak in January last year of any wrongdoing in relation to the USD$681 million (RM2.6 billion) transferred into the latter’s account in 2013. 

He said Dzulkifli should reveal what role he played in the 1MDB investigation when he was attached to the AGC to banish any negative perception that he might be biased.

Failing which, Dzulkifli must no longer participate in such investigations and leave the matter to his deputy.

“...It is no secret that Dzulkifli was present together with the AG at the press conference on January 26 last year, when the AG cleared Najib of any wrongdoing.

“Dzulkifli may be in a position of conflict because he may have been part of the AG’s team that cleared Prime Minister Najib Razak of any wrongdoing,” Ramkarpal said in a statement today.

Dzulkifli was attached to the AGC as of January last year, before his appointment as MACC chief in July the same year. 

Ramkarpal said it was also pertinent that MACC had not completed its probe into 1MDB and had needed the AG’s help in the task when the AG cleared Najib.

He said MACC had submitted its investigation papers to the AG, requesting help to facilitate the issuance of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to a foreign state.

The AG refused on the ground that it was no longer necessary to investigate the matter further in light of his findings that the said funds were a donation.

The RM2.6 billion transferred to Najib in early 2013 was declared as a donation from the Saudi Arabian royal family in family, and much of it was reportedly returned to the donor because the money was unused.

Ramkarpal said if Dzulkifli was part of the AG’s team, he should not be part of any MACC probe into 1MDB or matters related to the scandal.

“With respect, Dzulkifli may not be seen to be impartial in any decision by the MACC pertaining to the investigations into 1MDB or matters related to it, having been a part of the AG’s team on the matter in the past.
 
“In light of the above, it is obvious that Dzulkifli may be in a position of conflict when it comes to the investigation of 1MDB and/or matters related to it by the MACC.
 
“In the circumstances, I call upon Dzulkifli to recuse himself from partaking in any matter related to the investigation of 1MDB or any matter related to it,” he said.

Dzulkifli recently said MACC was not investigating 1MDB over allegations of financial improprieties to avoid overlapping probe already started by the police.

Previously, Ramkarpal had also highlighted concerns that MACC’s independence might have been compromised due to its failure to probe 1MDB on grounds that it was a job for the police only. – June 20, 2017.