PM says MACC found no criminal element in Nazlan probe

Ravin Palanisamy Ravin Palanisamy Updated 2 years ago · Published on 19 Jun 2023 12:43PM · 1 Comments

The prime minister says MACC did not find any element of criminal offence in its investigation on judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 19, 2023.

THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) did not find any element of criminal offence in its investigation on judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.

He said MACC launched the probe following allegations against the former High Court judge.

“MACC has thoroughly investigated the matter and found that no criminal offence was committed.

“This matter has (also) been agreed to by the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” Anwar told the Dewan Negara today during question time.

Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, through a letter dated March 20 to former prime minister Najib Razak’s solicitors, Shafee & Co, had confirmed that Nazlan had violated the judges’ code of ethics and had a conflict of interest when presiding over the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

She had said this was based on a report of MACC’s findings dated February 20, which the agency extended to her.

Nazlan, now a Court of Appeal judge, had presided over Najib’s trial relating to the misappropriation of RM42 million belonging to 1Malaysia Development Bhd subsidiary SRC International.

On July 28, 2020, Nazlan sentenced Najib to 12 years’ imprisonment and fined him RM210 million after finding the former prime minister guilty of all seven corruption charges.

Nazlan, before serving as a judicial officer, had been general counsel for Maybank, which Najib’s lawyers contended would have exposed the judge to knowledge pertaining to SRC International, posing a conflict of interest.

Last year, MACC began an investigation on Nazlan following allegations posted on Manchester-based Raja Petra Kamarudin’s Malaysia Today blog that the judge had received an unexplained RM1 million in his account from fugitive businessman and 1MDB scandal mastermind Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.

On Nazlan’s alleged violation of the code of ethics, Anwar said the Federal Court had made a decision on it.

The Federal Court has dismissed Najib’s application to adduce fresh evidence.

“The country’s highest court had dismissed Najib’s application to adduce fresh evidence (against Nazlan) regarding the allegation, finding that there was no connection between Nazlan’s previous employment at Maybank and the charges (in SRC International case),” said Anwar.

“Najib also withdrew the allegations of bribery against Nazlan.

“Thus, we adhere to the Federal Court’s decision, and the government recognises the decision (as well).” – June 19, 2023.

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Comments

  • At large this is very welcoming by the Rakyat, as most of us know the judge is a man of integrity. Now what is the different between MACC findings then dated February 20 and now? Then the reports says theres a conflict of interest and now no element of criminal offence what so ever.

    Did the umno minister cook it up? Did she pressure MACC to come up with a report to favor her chief thief? Or did she release a work in progress report? This is a clear misuse of her position as a minister, isnt any probe going to be conducted against her? Just throw away under the carpet by this MADANI government? So does this mean a minister can just made a statement even its not true? Or the MADANI government also like the BN era just play dumb and silent and let the matter dies away as the Rakyat dont deserves to know?

    Posted 2 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply