KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should act speedily in its probe of the allegedly dubious sale of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) land to avoid the potential of evidence being destroyed, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh said today.
Yeoh said the public were keen to have the latest updates from MACC, following a May 16 report that she lodged together with Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng to urge for a probe on the sale of 64 plots of DBKL land to Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP) during the 2014-2018 period and the development in Taman Rimba Kiara.
“MACC should have started investigations and taking action against the individual named in that report so that MACC is not seen as trying to protect those involved,” she said in a statement today.
Yeoh said that Kuala Lumpur voters had the right to know if any ongoing investigation by MACC on the matter involves other individuals linked to YWP, adding that the anti-graft body should also focus its probe on the issuance of development orders for uncontrolled and unplanned development without plans for traffic management.
“The allegation of abuse of power towards a former minister is something very serious, MACC should act fast and not slow down the investigation process to the extent that evidence could be destroyed,” she said, adding that the MACC was duty-bound to provide updates from time to time on such public interest cases.
She then urged the MACC to immediately provide feedback on the case and also urged that the commission carries out holistic reforms to improve its image in the eyes of the public.
In July, Lim had claimed that the alleged dubious land deals involving DBKL land were only the tip of the iceberg, although he said some of the buyers could be innocent and should have their names cleared.
The newly-appointed Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad had in July also told financial weekly The Edge that there were allegedly more dubious land sales under the former Barisan Nasional administration.
He had then said DBKL had handed over reports on the 64 plots of land to MACC officially for investigation, and that DBKL will be following up on the remaining cases.
