MACC pledges fair probe

(The Star) – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has pledged to carry out investigations into the corruption allegation involving French engineering firm Alstom without fear or favour.

“This is in line with Section 29(4) of the MACC Act 2009,” the commission said in a statement yesterday.

The MACC said it was liaising with the relevant authorities, both locally and abroad, to conduct the investigation.

However, the Commission declined to reveal details of the ongoing probe.

Swiss authorities had last month ordered Alstom to pay 31 million euros (RM130mil) in fines for failing to stop bribery by some employees over contracts in Latvia, Malaysia and Tunisia.

The Swiss Attorney-General’s Office cited the company for “corporate negligence” but not criminal wrongdoing.

Alstom Malaysia had said in a statement that investigations confirmed that there was no systematic bribery and that sufficient controls were in place. Swiss prosecutors recently removed from its website an unendorsed document linking two Malaysians to the Alstom scandal.