Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 2): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) move to freeze Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s bank accounts was the anti-graft body’s independent action, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 

At a post-Cabinet meeting press conference on Thursday, Anwar told the media that his administration had never instructed the commission to freeze Bersatu’s accounts or take action against the opposition party.

“What happened was two things: firstly, reports were made to the [police] and MACC on the use of funds by Bersatu; secondly, in carrying out my job at the Finance Ministry, I found projects that involved high expenditures that did not go through a tender process,” he said, listing the Jana Wibawa project as well as a flood mitigation project.

Anwar said Bersatu’s accounts were frozen to facilitate the MACC’s investigation under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).

He added that the commission found more than RM300 million in Bersatu’s accounts, and called for the party’s leaders to explain how it accumulated the funds in such a short period of time.

“This is the task of the MACC, and only then will the commission produce their findings to the Attorney General’s Chambers,” he added.

Anwar insisted that enforcement agencies as well as the judiciary remain independent and said that it was irresponsible for Bersatu to accuse the government of using the MACC as a political tool.

He also maintained that the government’s stance was that the authorities should probe and take action against any party suspected of being involved in wrongdoing, whether government or opposition.

On Wednesday, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that the commission had frozen several bank accounts belonging to Bersatu in accordance with an investigation under AMLA.

Bersatu secretary general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin then accused the unity government of using the MACC to damage the credibility of Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional.

Edited ByLam Jian Wyn
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