KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will interview Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for its investigation against former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, after the opposition leader offered to assist in the probe.

Anwar, who is also a former finance minister, yesterday claimed to have details that were pertinent to the graftbusters’ investigation into Daim’s banking business abroad.

“The MACC will meet with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who claims to possess firm evidence on the case. The commission also welcomes any parties with evidence to co-operate with the MACC,” it said in a statement today.

The commission today added that it also interviewed Daim recently over the issue, and that all evidence it gathers over the allegation will be sent on to its Operations Evaluation Panel to determine if there was a case for indictment.

It stressed, however, that Daim had been investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency, the MACC’s predecessor, and that the deputy public prosecutor in that instance had determined that the former minister’s case merited no further action.

Daim was reported to own a bank in Tanzania. He reportedly said that he had been investigated twice in 1999 but was not found to have committed any wrongdoing.

Pro-establishment bloggers recently renewed attention into Daim’s case, prompting the former minister to claim he knew who was behind the fresh offensive.

Daim said that while the attacks from the opposition parties were expected, he did not anticipate the coverage that the mainstream media has given to his accusers.

Yesterday, Anwar said he was prepared to assist the MACC in its investigation, and urged the agency to carry out its duties professionally.

“If (the MACC) wants to ask me, I will give my cooperation, no problem. I have no problem. That is my responsibility to help in investigations,” the PKR de facto chief said yesterday.

Anwar added that the information in his hands had already been filed previously.

The former deputy prime minister previously accused Daim of using foreign banks to accumulate billions in hidden wealth.