KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 ― Baitulmal Professional Institute (IPB) began an internal investigation against chief executive Dr Syed Omar Syed Agil specifically to allow him to answers allegations of "misconduct", the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
IPB’s lead counsel, Fakhrul Azman Abu Hassan, explained that the organisation could have dismissed him when allegations of his misconduct surfaced, but instead chose to conduct an investigation first.
"The institute can fire him by giving him one month's notice or one month's salary.
"But the defendant didn't do that and instead conducted a domestic inquiry to give him chance to answer the accusations levelled against him," he said before High Court judge Datuk John Louis O’Hara, referring to IPB.
On December 16, Syed Omar sued IPB's operator, Institut Profesional Baitumal Sdn Bhd, to stop the latter from continuing his work suspension and an internal probe against him.
He claimed his suspension last October was due to him reporting possible funds misappropriation by the administration of the private tertiary institution in which the Federal Territories Islamic Council (MAIWP) owns a 70 per cent stake.
In May, Syed Omar argued that he was entitled to the same protection awarded to whistleblowers as he was merely acting in "good faith" when reporting his company's supposed financial irregularities to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police, news portal the Star Online reported.
However, the Star reported Fakhrul Azman as saying in June that the CEO was not entitled to such protection as he was merely "taking advantage of the law to avoid disciplinary action."
Fakhrul Azman also reportedly said that the IPB chairman's initiating an internal probe against Syed Omar was not an action in response to the reports lodged by the CEO.
