MACC comes up with statistics to defend itself

(NST) PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday came out with figures to deny allegations of bias by the opposition.

 

It revealed to the New Straits Times that last year, 12 members of the ruling Barisan Nasional, all from the Malay-based Umno party, were charged in court for graft-related offences while only two from the opposition were hauled to court.

Statistics also showed that last year, 76 Umno members were investigated.

The MACC also listed 27 more people from Umno this year as those who are still under investigations.

"Bear in mind that none of those charged were from the DAP, a Chinese-majority party.

"We do not want to be engaged in debates with people who keep throwing baseless accusations our way just to tarnish the commission's name.

"Let the figures speak for themselves… this goes to show that our actions are not politically motivated but done professionally."

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang had also accused the MACC of being Umno's "catspaw".

Selangor executive councillor Teresa Kok had cried racial discrimination and insisted that the MACC was only going after Chinese state lawmakers in its probe into alleged misuse of state allocations given by the state Pakatan Rakyat.

The seven lawmakers were Kok, Hannah Yeoh (Subang), Ean Yong Hian Wah (Sri Kembangan), Dr Cheah Wing Yin (Damansara Utama), Edward Lee (Bukit Gasing), Lau Weng San (Kampung Tuanku) and Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan).

Meanwhile, in relation to the death of Teoh Beng Hock, a senior MACC officer said 25 officers of the commission had been grilled by the police.

"This is a normal procedure and our officers endured at least eight hours of questioning but they are not complaining.

"We understand that when a probe is being conducted, officers conducting the case will have to get to the bottom of the matter and it may require hours to cover all aspects."

The officer said four handphones belonging to the officers who were questioned had been seized by the police.

MACC also expressed hope that investigations on its officers by the police would be carried out fairly and professionally.

This worry of possible injustice stemmed from the hundreds of graft-related investigations conducted against police officers.

"MACC conducts its investigations based on reports received from the public.

"There is nothing personal in our probes, and we treat witnesses as witnesses, and we believe that the police will do the same."