THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and a recently divorced couple have denied allegations of an extramarital affair involving a high-ranking official from the agency.

The allegation was made in a YouTube video that has gone viral and which is now the source of a police investigation.

The couple, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, denied that they had ended their marriage because the wife had an affair with the MACC officer.

They said their divorce was a mutual decision and a private family matter that had nothing to do with the officer.

They described those responsible for making the allegation, and publicising and manipulating their divorce, as “keji” (despicable).

“We ask for everyone to respect our decision and family’s privacy. We regret the inhumane actions of those who had even exposed our children’s identities in the video.

“Please, don’t drag our children into these dirty games of yours,” the couple said, explaining that they had to make the statement to protect their children.

They said they would not hesitate to take legal action against those responsible or anyone who still wanted to make use of their divorce for personal or political agendas.

The almost three-minute video stated that the woman and her husband had divorced on September 28 at the Ulu Klang lower shariah court due the alleged affair.

It showed several pictures of the woman, with whom the MACC man allegedly had an affair.

Several images featured her with her family, including two young children.

The video featured a compilation of old clips of the senior MACC officer. In one clip, the officer spoke about men and women who swayed from their faith, and those who failed to repent. Another clip showed the officer reciting a poem on integrity.

Questions and remarks directed at the officer were inserted between the clips and pictures, such as, “How could you destroy this family?” and “Don’t you pity the children?”.

On Sunday, a 37-year-old marketing executive in Kuala Lumpur lodged a police report in Sentul after he came across the video.

He urged police to investigate whether the allegation involving the high-ranking man was true, and take the appropriate action.

News of the allegation was first reported by Sin Chew Daily, which said police had confirmed that a report was lodged and that the case had been referred to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

An MACC spokesman was reported as saying today that there was no truth to the allegation that the officer had enticed a married woman.

Enticing a married woman is an offence in Malaysia under Section 498 of the Penal Code. The crime is punishable with two years’ jail, a fine or both.

The allegation comes as MACC is sweeping up politicians and high-ranking civil servants in corruption investigations.

Under chief commissioner Dzulkifl Ahmad, who took over the agency’s leadership in July last year, MACC has been hauling up senior civil servants, politicians, ministers’ aides and others in high-profile graft cases. – October 12, 2017.