FRENCH authorities have filed an application for mutual legal assistance (MLA) with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) relating to the alleged corruption in public transport projects involving the mass rapid transit (MRT) and light rail transit (LRT).

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki, however, said it concerned only the alleged corruption involving the MRT and LRT projects carried out several years ago and not in any recent year.

He said the French authorities had been investigating certain parties and companies in Malaysia and France to complete their report on Foreign Corrupt Practice by Public Official.

“I cannot disclose any names. We are in the midst of processing the (MLA) application and we have to bear in mind that any statement that we give to other countries such as France should be through the AGC,” he told reporters after launching a Journalist Empowering Programme with MACC in Putrajaya today.

“We are still discussing with the AGC about how MACC can assist them, as not all of their requests can be fulfilled. So whatever we can assist, we will assist.”

Azam said, in return, the French authorities were also required to assist MACC upon application as MACC had begun its investigation into the allegation in March.

“The scope of MACC investigation is related to the bribe allegedly paid to certain parties… that’s our focus and we have opened two investigation papers (relating to the MRT and LRT projects) so far,” he said.

Last Monday, public transport operator Prasarana Malaysia said it viewed seriously the media reports citing sources claiming that there were elements of bribery in public transport infrastructure construction projects, namely the MRT and LRT. 

On Tuesday, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said his ministry is open to investigations into those claims. – Bernama, June 2, 2022.