KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 ― There are no draft charge sheets as alleged by whistleblower site Sarawak Report as the graft probe on a former subsidiary of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) has yet to be completed, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said today.
The MACC said it has yet to send investigation papers from its probe on SRC International Sdn Bhd ― formerly under 1MDB ― to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
“MACC stresses that the investigation on SRC International is still ongoing. Therefore, there is no issue of there being draft charge sheets in relation to this case that is being investigated,” the commission said in a statement.
The MACC repeated its statement yesterday that it was still tracking down several key witnesses to complete its probe on SRC International ― a firm which is now parked directly under the Ministry of Finance.
The commission also reiterated that it is tasked with investigating corruption cases and is not intended to topple anyone, including the government.
1MDB ― owned by the Ministry of Finance ― is under probe by a special taskforce that includes the AGC, the police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the MACC.
Earlier today, newly-appointed AG Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali shot down the Sarawak Report’s claim as false and that the alleged draft charge sheets do not exist.
Apandi said the purported charge sheets were written in the wrong format, pointing out that it would not be legally possible to prepare charges while investigations are still ongoing.
The top government lawyer said the alleged charge sheets indicate a conspiracy to topple Prime Minister Datuk Seri Datuk Seri Najib Razak by criminalising him, adding that this plot threatens democracy and would be probed.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi similarly denied today the existence of the purported charge sheets and accused the Sarawak Report of mounting a malicious bid to discredit the Najib administration.
Zahid, who is also home minister, said the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission have been instructed to investigate the “untrue” claim.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today that his agency will investigate Sarawak Report founder Clare Rewcastle-Brown under Section 124 of the Penal Code, which covers actions detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
Pictures of the alleged document were published yesterday by whistleblower site Sarawak Report, which claimed to have obtained a copy of corruption charges that were in the final stages of being drafted by Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail against Najib and one other person connected to the 1MDB controversy.
Putrajaya said on Tuesday that Abdul Gani’s services as the Attorney-General was terminated effective July 27 due to health reasons, but confirmed he would remain a judicial and legal service officer until his compulsory retirement on October 6.
