A DAP state assemblyman has lodged a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang on the alleged payments made to a news portal editor in 2019. 

Seri Delima assemblyman Syerleena Abdul Rashid said she wants the MACC to initiate an investigation on Hadi’s RM1.4 million out-of-court settlement with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown. 

“I’ve made a report to the MACC yesterday against PAS president Hadi Awang,” Syerleena told members of the media at a press conference today at the Penang DAP headquarters. 

She was accompanied by lawyer and Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer to the MACC office in Penang. 

“The report was about a matter that has been widely reported by the media where a total of RM1.4 million was paid to a British woman, who goes by the name of Clare Rewcastle-Brown. 

“Syerleena demanded an investigation to be carried out under the MACC Act 2009, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLA) 2001 and Income Tax Act,” Rayer said today. 

He added that MACC officers had warned them against divulging too much information on the case. 

DAP National Legal Bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh was also present at the press conference. 

Ramkarpal said Syerleena has handed over all information related to the case to the MACC. 

“The MACC told that they will verify the sources of information and that they will initiate an investigation,” he said.

“They will have to record other statements and have advised us not to disclose whatever information we have given to the MACC.”

On Wednesday, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng also asked Hadi to explain the out-of-court settlement with Rewcastle-Brown.

Lim also said that Hadi must respond to Rewcastle-Brown’s allegation that his party, PAS, had received a RM90 million bribe from Umno. 

Hadi sued Rewcastle-Brown in London over a 2016 article alleging former prime minister Najib Razak had given RM90 million to PAS leaders to ensure their support in the 2018 general election.

However, the suit ended in an out-of-court settlement that saw Hadi paying Rewcastle-Brown RM1.4 million instead.

The PAS president had previously denied paying Rewcastle-Brown to settle his defamation suit. 

However, Rewcastle-Brown confirmed receiving payment of RM1.4 million from Hadi to end the legal spat. 

Recently, Hadi has come under fire from opposition lawmakers after he accused non-Muslim and non-Bumiputera community of being the root cause of corruption in the country.

Syerleena has also made a police report on Hadi’s alleged racial statement on August 26. – September 9, 2022.