THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today dismissed allegations that it would create an investigation to defame anyone.  

The anti-graft agency rubbished a former minister’s assertion of a conspiracy to defame him. 

“The MACC would like to emphasise that all investigations carried out are based on authentic information and evidence obtained by the commission. 

“The investigation papers that have been completed would have discovered elements of offences under the MACC Act 2009 and related acts.  

“This is then referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers for appropriate and further consideration,” the graft-buster said in a statement today.  

MACC did not name the former minister in their statement, but it is believed to be ex-home minister Hamzah Zainudin.  

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general accused MACC of acting strangely in a case that dragged him into the matter.  

Yesterday, businessman Sim Choo Thiam was charged with demanding RM15 million from another businessman, Hep Kim Hong, some time in June 2021.

The prosecution said the sum was meant as an inducement for Hamzah to assist Hep’s company, Asia Coding Sdn Bhd, to secure projects from his ministry. 

Sim was also slapped with three other charges of receiving RM15 million to secure projects from the home ministry. He pleaded not guilty to all four charges. 

Later that evening, Hamzah in a statement said “certain people and businessmen” were pressured into “pointing their finger” at him. 

“I wonder why my name is being mentioned when I have nothing to do with this,” said Hamzah. 

“The four charges say that bribes were paid to ‘get home ministry projects’. What are these projects? 

“It is clear that these accusations have been deliberately fabricated in such a way as to drag my name into matters that do not directly involve me.” 

The Larut MP said it was “peculiar” that MACC officers only recorded his statement late last evening, after the charges were brought against Sim. 

Hamzah is the latest PN leader to be implicated in a corruption scandal.  

Previously, the coalition’s chairman, Muhyiddin Yassin, was charged with several counts of abuse of power and money laundering linked to the Jana Wibawa programme. 

Bersatu’s Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad were also charged with accepting bribes in relation to Jana Wibawa. – May 11, 2023.