MACC probes claims by Kickdefella

By Dharmender Singh, The Star

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has started investigating allegations by blogger Kickdefella that he was paid RM4mil by the Opposition to create negative perceptions of former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

MACC investigations director Mustafar Ali said the probe was initiated although there was no report lodged on the matter.

“We are allowed to open investigations based on letters, blog postings or media reports, we do not need to wait for a report to be lodged with us to act.

“We have to follow the principles of law in assuming that a person is innocent until proven guilty and make a decision after scrutinising all the facts. We cannot jump the gun,” Mustafar told a press conference here yesterday.

He was commenting on a recent posting by Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz, who goes by the name Kickdefella in his blog, that he spent RM4mil to buy assets and equipment, hiring operatives, and buying printing material as part of the effort to weaken Abdullah.

Syed Azidi arrived at the MACC headquarters here at 6pm after he was told to give his statement on the allegations.

The blogger, known to raise various issues of mismanagement by PAS which governs Kelantan, said he carried out the work over three years when he was working in the state.

He questioned where he could have obtained the funds from as he did not have so much money.