Accept MACC Decision On Umno Cases, Says Abdullah

(Bernama) — Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has urged everyone to accept the decision of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to close 45 cases of political corruption against Umno leaders due to the lack of concrete evidence.

The Prime Minister and Umno president said the MACC was more capable and its investigations were more thorough compared to the investigations carried out by Umno Disciplinary Board.

"If the MACC has closed the cases why should the (Umno) Disciplinary Board continue (with the investigation). But the matter must be decided by the Disciplinary Board.

"But in my opinion, if the matter has been referred to the MACC, and the ACA (Anti-Crruption Agency) has decided that there is no case, we should accept the decision," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the National Economic Council at Parliament House, here, Tuesday.

He said the MACC investigations were carried out based on the complaints made by the Umno members themselves who did not hand over the reports to the Umno Disciplinary Board.

"They (Umno members) chose (to make the political corruption reports to) the MACC. So, the MACC has responded and carried out investigations and (the decision) announced. If the cases have been closed, then they should be closed," he said.

A newspaper report today quoted sources from the MACC as saying that 45 of the 90 cases of political corruption involving Umno leaders received by the Commission had been closed due to lack of concrete evidence.

The sources also said that the MACC could not file a complete and strong case because the complainants only submitted a general complaints without evidence to support their case.

Abdullah had earlier launched the MACC which became effective on Jan 1 in a move to intensify efforts against corrupt practices in the country.