Friday 29 Mar 2024
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(August 4): Other civil society leaders are adding their voices to concerns that hopes for a thorough investigation into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) are good as dead, echoing the sentiments of a lawyers group after the anti-graft authorities said that billions of ringgit in the prime minister's personal accounts was not corruption but involved donations.

Maria Chin Abdullah, chairman of electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0, agreed with Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen that the task force was as good as dead, and said she was concerned that this would mean "selective criminals will get off scot-free".

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said the authorities should be careful with their use of powers against statutory bodies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) given that the anti-graft body was also vested with powers to act against obstruction of their duties.

"MACC have vast powers under their Act and in many instances similar to the police.

"They also have powers to act against obstruction of their duties," she told The Malaysian Insider in a text message.

She also said that the central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia, was a statutory institution and one of its principal purposes was to foster the safety and soundness of financial institutions and the integrity of the financial markets.

Ambiga added that any action tantamount to interference could bring adverse consequences to the nation's financial system and integrity.

"The perception of interference is there in any event.

"I would say, hands off BNM and MACC while the investigations are ongoing, or the public is entitled to hold the authorities responsible for any fallout.

"In other words, don't interfere with these important institutions in the middle of their current investigations into 1MDB and other financial scandals," Ambiga added.

Lawyer S. N. Nair said the scope of investigations by the task force was never made clear, making it difficult to predict now if its investigations were over.

He said that in any case, the ball was now in the attorney-general's court, as to whether or not he accepted the findings of the MACC.

MACC last night cleared Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of accepting 1MDB funds in his personal accounts, saying instead that the RM2.6 billion channelled to him were from donations.

"If the scope was to investigate if the money came from 1MDB and the A-G agrees with the MACC that it was a donation, then the matter ends, in respect of that part of the investigation.

"But we don't know what else the task force is investigating, this was never disclosed, which should have been the procedure when they were set up," Nair added.

Former diplomat Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin of the group of prominent Malays, or G25, said she was concerned that the intimidation and arrest of some members of the task force was making it impossible for them to complete their investigations.

Police are currently probing individuals from MACC over alleged leaks of investigation information to third parties, with even the agency's director of Special Operations Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin being hauled up for questioning yesterday.

Noor Farida said the task force would likely be wound up soon.

"It is either that or they might endorse the conclusion of the MACC that the RM2.6 billion in PM's account came from 'donors ' and not 1MDB, task completed!” she told The Malaysian Insider in a WhatsApp message. – The Malaysian Insider

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