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Kit Siang prods MACC on dormant report against ex-AG Apandi

Lim expressed hope that Latheefa Koya, the new MACC chief commissioner, would announce updates on the matter. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
Lim expressed hope that Latheefa Koya, the new MACC chief commissioner, would announce updates on the matter. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) received a report from a former officer against Tan Sri Apandi Ali in 2016 but never investigated this, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang reminded the agency today.

The Iskandar Puteri MP then expressed hope that Latheefa Koya, the new MACC chief commissioner, would announce updates on the matter.

“Maybe when the new MACC chief, Latheeya Koya, appears before the parliamentary Special Select Committee on Major Public Appointments on June 20 to share her vision and mission to fight corruption, she could throw some light on whether the MACC would re-open investigation into Apandi,” he said in a statement.

The Iskandar Puteri MP noted that an ex-MACC officer filed the report after Apandi chose to clear the prime minister at the time, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, of any wrongdoing in relation to the 1MDB scandal despite recommendations from the agency.

Najib is currently facing dozens of charges related to the scandal after investigations were relaunched following Barisan Nasional’s defeat in last year’s general election.

Lim noted that the report was in the MACC system as the commission both accepted and registered it.

The federal lawmaker also suggested that the MACC officer or officers who decided not to pursue the matter could be in dereliction of duty.

In the report, the complainant noted that Apandi’s press conference on January 26, 2016, clearing Najib of wrongdoing was not only against the recommendation of the MACC but that of former attorney general Tan Sri Gani Patail.

Najib effectively dropped Gani and replaced him with Apandi at the height of the 1MDB scandal here.

“Among other criminal acts both Najib and Apandi had committed was the offence under Section 16 of the MACC Act as Najib offering the post of AG to Apandi, and Apandi accepting the post of AG, as an inducement to clear Najib of corruption charges and to stop further investigation against him.

“This is tantamount to a gross abuse of power and conflict of interest since the very person he cleared of the corruption charges was the same person who appointed him to the office of AG.

“It caused huge embarrassment to the legal fraternity and the rule of law in Malaysia in the eyes of the world,” said Lim.

The Pakatan Harapan government removed Apandi as the AG last year and replaced him with Tommy Thomas.

Today, Lim also said it could be argued that the entirety of Najib’s Cabinet could be deemed complicit in the allegedly unconstitutional removal of Gani.

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