THE arrest of Mohamed Azmin Ali’s nephew today for alleged graft in an illegal sand-mining case is likely one of many more attacks against the Selangor menteri besar and his Pakatan Harapan-led state administration in the run-up to the next general election, PH leaders said today.

“We know ‘well’ how our opponents fight when the general election is near,” said Selangor DAP publicity secretary Ng Suee Lim.

“I can foresee that there will be more attacks going Azmin’s way from now,” the Sekinchan assemblyman told The Malaysian Insight.

Yesterday, the PKR deputy president’s nephew was among four people arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist investigations into illegal sand mining in Kajang. 

The four – two company directors, a site manager and an advertisement firm executive – are under remand for seven days. The company’s accounts, containing RM4 million, have also been frozen.

Ng said the sting reeked of a targeted character assassination attempt as information of the arrests was leaked out before the four were detained.

“It was as if there was an agenda to hurt the credibility and good name of the MB,” he said.

“We have no problems if MACC wants to investigate but it has to be fair and transparent, regardless of who is involved in the case.

“But I question the commission’s integrity. Yes, investigate but don’t leak out information to cause humiliation.”

According to a source close to state-linked Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd that monopolises sand-mining activities in Selangor, all four men who were remanded today were being investigated for cases of sand theft at an oil palm estate in Sungai Long, Hulu Langat between 2010 and 2013.

The source said MACC has been investigating the case since 2013, but had not taken any action until yesterday’s arrests.

Another source close to the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office said Azmin and his senior officer were still “safe” but there were concerns that the anti-graft agency would now target PKR leaders in the state who could have been involved in awarding tenders to those remanded today.

“Azmin is not involved in the tender committee,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“(But) maybe those arrested will become witnesses. Maybe they are after top PKR leaders in Selangor,” said the source.

Earlier today, Yin Shao Loong, the Menteri Besar’s Office strategic communications director, said the MACC sting appeared to be a conspiracy against Azmin and the Selangor government. 

He said before the arrests happened, there were leaked information about an MACC raid circulating since Tuesday on social media. 

Among those who spread the information to link the scandal to Azmin was a pro-Umno blogger (captainmgs.blogspot.my) who announced that MACC will “assault Selangor, a haven for corruption, crime and power abuse”.

There was also a poster of Azmin and his confidential secretary, Hilman Idham, with the wordings “SPRM serbu Selangor rasuah berleluasa. Lombong pasir atau kilang haram” (MACC raids Selangor, corruption is rampant. Sand mining or illegal factories).

Selangor assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh said it was unfair to punish Azmin, who is also Gombak MP, as he was not the one arrested by MACC.

“It was his nephew, not him. Politicians cannot be made responsible for their immediate family members or extended family members’ mischief (if any), unless of course there is abuse of power on the part of politicians to enrich their relatives.

“From the news reports per se, I think it is unfair to report it as though Azmin was the one who was detained. Let MACC do their job,” she said in a WhatsApp message to The Malaysian Insight.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub also called for a fair investigation by MACC on any individual suspected of graft, and urged the people of Selangor not to be misled into any attempts by the government to tarnish the reputation of the state’s leaders.

“To link people to crimes is easy. Anyone can commit crime. Let the law run its course,” he said.

Salahuddin said voters should be aware that there were parties with agendas linking Azmin to the scandal in order to bring down the PH-led government in the next election.

“When it is politically motivated, it will surely affect Azmin negatively. The people must be wise in their judgment.

“What we need is justice, not character assassination.” – November 30, 2017.