PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri must stop the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) from  selective investigation, DAP leader Lim Guan Eng said.

He said the latest example of MACC bias was its probe into Court of Appeal judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who convicted former prime minister Najib Razak of corruption in 2020, over allegedly unexplained wealth.

“This contrasts starkly with MACC’s lack of enthusiasm and energy in investigating MACC chief Azam Baki’s confirmed unexplained wealth,” Lim said in a statement today.

“There is are clear double standards, selective bias, unprofessionalism and even abuse of power when Azam can launch an immediate probe of Nazlan’s allegedly unproven unexplained wealth whilst not doing the same thing on Azam’s confirmed unexplained wealth involving millions of shares valued at millions of ringgit. 

“Azam had been exposed by the Securities Commission as lying that his brother had used his shares account by proxy when Azam was exposed as the sole operator,” Lim said.

“Will Ismail Sabri rein in a rampaging MACC conducting spurious and politically calculated investigations which allows the corrupt to escape unpunished whilst punishing the honest and upright? 

“The MACC has been notorious for its acts of omission and commission which have allowed government agencies and political leaders, including ministers, to escape unpunished

“Justice has not been upheld in these cases. No government leaders have spoken out against the double standards applied by MACC.

“Has MACC become a political weapon used or misused by vested political interests?” said Lim.

He cited cases where MACC failed to act, such as when MPs and assemblymen were allegedly enticed to jump parties en masse.

Lim also cited MACC’s decision in February not to proceed with charging a former Sabah water department deputy director with 146 counts of money laundering involving RM32.93 million, after the accused agreed to pay a fine of RM30 million.

The ex-deputy director, Teo Chee Keong, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the court.

“One wonders at the logic, accountability and public morality or ethics of a money laundering case for nearly RM33 million being settled with RM30 million. Should not MACC be also questioning the ability to afford to pay the RM30 million compound by a former civil servant?” Lim asked.

“MACC’s disappointing lack of consistency and commitment in combating corruption will only contribute to a further drop in the 2022 Malaysia’s Transparency International Corruption Perception Index which in 2021 declined to No. 62 from No. 51 in 2019,” Lim added.

Nazlan was the Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge who delivered a guilty verdict for Najib for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and laundering RMR42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

He sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million.

Formerly the general consul at Maybank prior to becoming a judge, Nazlan was elevated to the Court of Appeal in February.

He is accused by Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who owns the Malaysia Today blog, of receiving RM1 million in his accounts. Nazlan has lodged a police report denying the allegation. – April 25, 2022.