So said MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed.
“The law entrusts the MACC to battle corruption. Until there is a change to this law, we will not stop our fight against corrupt practices,” Abu Kassim told Malay Mail.
“The law also states that any person can be investigated for corruption. Whether they are politicians, businessmen or NGOs, as long as there is corruption involved, they will be investigated.”
Abu Kassim’s comments came in response to a statement made by MACC director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull on Saturday.
Shukri, frustrated with constant criticisms and public opinion of MACC, said the MACC will stop probing politicians indefinitely.
“I totally understand Shukri’s concern, and why he came up with the comment,” said Abu Kassim.
“I share his frustration too. We have not been having it easy from everyone.”
Shukri spoke about how difficult it was for him and his men to carry out their jobs well in cases involving politicians as they were being condemned by various parties regardless of what they did.
He added that he would suggest a new separate mechanism for the handling of corruption cases that involved politicians.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also commented on Shukri’s statement saying that the MACC should not differentiate investigations on politicians and the common public.
He also said that everyone, including politicians, should give their full cooperation to MACC in its investigations to ensure the process runs smoothly.
“I agree with what Muhyiddin has said,” said Abu Kassim. “We need a strong show of support from all walks of life for what we are doing. Currently, we are not getting enough of it.”
The level of mistrust of the MACC reached an all-time low following the tragic death of Teoh Beng Hock, the political aide to Selangor State exco Ean Yong Hian Wah.
Last month, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim issued a directive to all officers and assemblymen to not go to the MACC office if they were called in for questioning or to have their statements recorded.
Khalid said the questioning should be done at the State assemblymen’s respective offices for “safety reasons”.
On Aug 10, Malay Mail highlighted how Wong Chuan How, the special assistant to State exco Ronnie Liu, played a game of hide-and-seek with the MACC by not answering his handphone.
Wong was called for questioning by the MACC to facilitate its probe into the alleged abuse of State funds.
Abu Kassim also took a swipe at certain parties who were being investigated by MACC, whose decisions to call in the Press to highlight their investigations in the media baffled him.
“There are some people who are under investigation by MACC who would call in the media for a Press conference, as well as allow the media to view the investigation process,” said Abu Kassim.
“I find this ‘new phenomenon’ rather ‘weird’.
“Previously, nobody wanted to let the public know they were being investigated for corruption. Now, they want to publicise it. I cannot understand this rather strange new trend.
“I hope it doesn’t continue as it jeopardises our investigations.” - Malay Mail.
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