POLICE INVESTIGATING, SAYS MACC
In a statement on Tuesday night, the MACC said the Royal Malaysia Police was investigating the matter and that it would cooperate fully.
MACC “strongly denied” the existence of any alleged “corporate mafia” and said it “completely rejects these unfounded allegations”.
It added that the allegations in Bloomberg’s article appeared to have originated from an online blog “with no identifiable owner, author, or clear accountability”.
“The Commission views the dissemination of such false accusations with utmost seriousness, particularly when they may undermine public confidence in lawful enforcement actions,” it said in its latest response to the Feb 11 article.
The MACC previously said in a statement on Feb 12 that it “categorically rejected” any suggestion or insinuations that its investigations are influenced by private interests.
“All investigations undertaken by MACC are conducted strictly in accordance with the law, guided by evidence, and carried out independently without fear or favour,” it had said.
The MACC asserted on Tuesday the accusations were an attempt to discredit its investigations and enforcement action within the corporate sector, especially against parties who may be affected by ongoing legal proceedings.
“MACC emphasises that all investigations are conducted based on evidence, in accordance with the law, and subject to established legal processes,” it asserted.
“The spread of baseless allegations originating from unverifiable sources risks misleading the public and undermining confidence in enforcement institutions. Such actions may be regarded as the dissemination of false information and defamation.”
The agency urged those with credible information relating to corruption or misconduct to lodge an official report with the relevant authorities for investigations to be carried out in an “orderly and fair manner … rather than through trial by media or publications that lack solid evidence”.
The government has also said it will form a special committee to investigate another matter, involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and reported by Bloomberg a day before its “corporate mafia” article.
Bloomberg had reported that Azam was listed as holding 17.7 million shares in financial services company Velocity Capital Bhd, citing the company’s annual filing with the Companies Commission of Malaysia dated Feb 3 last year. The stake would be worth almost RM800,000 based on Feb 9’s closing price, well above the RM100,000 limit allowed for public servants.
After the story was published, Azam said he had acquired the shares in early 2025 and sold them that same year. He maintained he had acted within the rules.
The special task force looking into this issue will be led by Malaysia’s Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Azam has since filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg over the article on his shareholding, seeking RM100 million in damages.
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