MACC boss gets a dressing down
By Tashny Sukumaran, Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed must step aside to allow a proper investigation into the death of customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
Lim blasted Abu Kassim for making “provocative” and “malicious” remarks following the discovery yesterday that Ahmad Sarbani had fallen to his death from the third floor of the MACC building in Cheras.
Abu Kassim said he hoped the tragedy would not be “exploited or manipulated by certain quarters for their personal interests”.
Lim, in a statement released today, described Abu Kassim’s reaction as “malicious and full of ill intentions”, adding: “Such provocative remarks display not only a guilty conscience but an attempt to gag and stop others from pursuing the truth and justice.”
He also said: “MACC must realise no one other than the MACC is to be held responsible for this latest tragic death.”
He demanded the establishment of a new royal commission of inquiry that would comply with international standards.
He also suggested that the government commission Transparency International to oversee a revamp of MACC.
Lim, who is the secretary-general of DAP, said the party initially respected Abu Kassim’s attempt to restore professionalism into MACC but subsequently realised that he could not succeed because of the agency’s secretive nature, double standards, and lack of independence from the Attorney-General and the Najib administration.
Responding to the DAP request for Abu Kassim to step down, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz shot back by asking: “Why should he?”.
The minister said Abu Kassim’s removal would not “solve the problem”. “The MACC doesn’t kill people. It investigates,” Nazri added.
Investigations should continue
Transparency International Malaysia president Paul Low meanwhile urged MACC today to investigate the incident without any fear or favour, and demanded that the inquiry “cover MACC’s current standard procedures, processes and guidelines for the investigation of cases of corruption”.
He also urged MACC to implement measures such as interrogation rooms placed at the lobby or basement area to prevent untoward incidents; and called for closed circuit television cameras to be fixed at the interrogation and waiting rooms.
“This is to prevent allegations of rough tactics used in interrogation and any untowardly incidents,” he said today.
He cautioned investigators, however, saying that “the tragic death of Ahmad Sarbani should not in any way undermine ongoing investigations following the recent raids and arrests conducted by the MACC involving Customs officers.
“The ongoing joint operation investigating Customs and the Freight Forwarding industry must continue without outside influence or interference.
