AG dodges ex-cop’s claim Rahim will beat sex tape rap
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The Attorney-General (AG) has sidestepped claims by a former senior police officer that Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik will escape prosecution for the sex video scandal, saying he has yet to see the investigation papers.
Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail declined to comment further on former Kuala Lumpur CID director Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim’s remarks which came after police began investigating the sex video allegedly featuring Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a tryst with a prostitute.
“I haven’t even seen the papers,” Abdul Gani told The Malaysian Insider curtly yesterday. “How can you people publish like that?”
When pushed for a response, the country’s top prosecutor merely repeated his earlier statement that he had not seen the investigation papers.
“I haven’t even seen anything yet. That is my response,” Abdul Gani said.
Mat Zain said in an open letter to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Ismail Omar on Monday that he did not expect the former Malacca chief minister to be prosecuted due to the ultimate involvement of the AG.
While confident that the police would investigate the case professionally and impartially, Mat Zain said he had scant faith in the AG’s ability to discharge his duties without favour, citing Abdul Gani’s alleged protection of Rahim from prosecution on graft charges in 1999.
“This investigation will later be handled by Abdul Gani as the Attorney-General. It is at this stage where it is expected that manipulation, fraud and forgery will occur,” he said.
Mat Zain claimed that Abdul Gani, a senior deputy public prosecutor at the time, together with then-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and then-Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah had “indemnified” Rahim from the charges in exchange for his resignation from all government and political posts.
This was despite a recommendation from the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) that Rahim be prosecuted for four counts of corruption — three under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance and one for making a false statutory declaration, punishable under Section 193 of the Penal Code.
Mat Zain explained that the matter first reached his hands when Anwar had sent him a copy of the ACA report against Rahim along with a police report on August 20, 1999.
The report, he explained, was classified as “official secrets” and explained that the agency had compiled enough evidence to prove a prima facie case against Rahim.
“The ACA report was validated by the prosecution division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and signed by Abdul Gani who classified the document as ‘secret’,” he said.
“The documents were said to have been given to Anwar by the Attorney-General and/or Abdul Gani while Anwar was still the deputy prime minister.”
Anwar sacked in September 1998 on sodomy and abuse of power charges. He was convicted on both counts but was freed after appeal in 2004.
Mat Zain explained that the AG’s Chambers had wanted to classify the case under the Official Secrets Act 1972 while the police had suggested that the case be investigated under Section 2(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance on abuse of powers.
