Comment: Pakistan’s corrupt PM Nawaz Sharif should learn a lesson from Malaysia about combatting Corruption in his country. PM Nawaz Sharif should learn from a fellow Islamic nation.
Several agencies roped into graft probe against CM
By LEE YEN MUN
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Under watch: Taib’s corruption case became the focus of attention when a YouTube video titled ‘Inside Malaysia’s Shadow State’ went viral.PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has set up a multi-agency task force to investigate allegations of graft against Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
The task force consists of representatives from agencies such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the MACC itself to “speed up” the investigations.
A report will be submitted to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patailfor action after investigations are completed.
The MACC said that once the investigations are completed and the Deputy Public Prosecutor has made a decision, an operations evaluation panel will appraise the integrity and impartiality of the commission in handling the probe.
“The panel consists of individuals from various professional backgrounds. The MACC is also constantly monitored by the Special Committee on Corruption, which was formed under the legislation according to Section 12 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act,” the commission said in a statement.
The MACC said the committee members comprised representatives from Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara from both sides of the political divide.
The statement was issued to dispel doubts on the integrity and the efficiency of the MACC in tackling graft, particularly in the case involving Taib. Taib has been chief minister since March 1981 and has delivered Sarawak to Barisan Nasional for six state elections between 1983 and 2011.
His corruption case became the focus of attention when a YouTube video by London-based non-governmental organisation Global Witness titled Inside Malaysia’s Shadow State went viral after it was released on March 18.
The video featured recorded conversations between Taib’s cousins and two lawyers on matters ranging from illegal means to circumvent the operations of Malaysian laws to allegations of kickbacks to high officials within the state administration.
MACC said that it had taken statements from more than 20 people believed to be involved in the case or mentioned in the YouTube video which had alleged corrupt dealings in the state implicating the chief minister.
It added: “Investigations started even before the video was exposed. As of now, the MACC has checked around 400 files to help in the investigations.”
