THE Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) is the latest to demand an investigation of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) failure to probe earlier on the politicians named in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s ongoing corruption trial over a foreign visa system.

MACC has to explain this lapse as it would have had knowledge of the contents of an Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) ledger where the politicians were listed as fund recipients, C4 said in a statement today.

The anti-graft watchdog has only recently announced it was starting investigations into those named after the evidence was raised in court.

“The MACC should be investigated for this seemingly selective action. 

“And Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) must question why the MACC did not launch investigations into the other politicians despite prior knowledge of the contents of the ledger,” it said.

The anti-corruption civil society group was commenting on the recent testimonies by UKSB in Zahid’s ongoing corruption trial over kickbacks for ensuring a company handling foreign visas was kept on contract by the Home Ministry. Zahid was then home minister.

The payments, which were confirmed by UKSB’s accounts, include monthly payments to Zahid from 2014 to 2018 beginning at S$200,000 per month, and increased to S$520,000 per month some time in 2017.

Another RM1.3 million was paid to subsequent home minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2018, and RM3.7 million to former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is now the health minister.

In the trial, a former UKSB director said that RM200,000 and RM300,000 was also given to Reezal Merican Naina Merican with unknown amounts to Hishammuddin Hussein, Shafie Apdal and Anifah Aman.

The evidence in the Umno president’s trial shows that a political financing law is needed to stop corruption being masked as political donations, C4 added.

“The line separating corruption and political donations is very fine.”

Asset declaration should also be made compulsory under law to prevent the flow of illicit wealth.

C4 also urged all politicians named in Zahid’s trial to explain their receipt of funds from UKSB, and how the money was used. 

“Mere denials will only lead to further trust deficits.

“The sheer number of politicians facing court cases involving political donations demonstrates that this is not an isolated practice.

“How many more cases of political corruption involving donations must we bear before we take action?” – June 21, 2022.