KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today he has no clue as to whom the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was referring to when it mentioned it would call a political leader for questioning into an ongoing investigation that is allegedly linked to a scandal about government contracts.
Loke, who is also DAP secretary-general, said he had read the news reports but since they did not mention the case, he said he remains clueless.
“It did not mention which particular case. So I do not know.
“MACC did not say which case and as far as I can say, they didn’t call me,” he said during a press conference here.
Utusan Malaysia reported earlier today that MACC is looking for more people to assist in its investigations that payments were made through a middleman, and a political party leader could be among those called up.
Citing an unnamed source, the Malay daily reported that the MACC is looking for more people to assist investigations into allegations that payments were made through a middleman, and that the leader of a political party could be among those called up.
It said this may involve ministry officers, contractors, and agencies under the ministry.
So far, it is understood that the MACC took another statement from the minister after he went to its headquarters in Putrajaya last Sunday, the source was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia.
The Malay daily did not report the name of the minister, but Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar confirmed to reporters that he had his statement recorded at the anti-graft agency on April 16, although he denied being a suspect in the ongoing investigations.
Utusan Malaysia reported yesterday that the MACC had searched the minister’s office and home as part of its investigations into a businessman who was arrested along with two ministry aides.
It was reported that the MACC did not find any evidence during the searches.
On April 13, the MACC arrested an aide to Sivakumar together with a recruitment agent allegedly over the quota for foreign worker recruitment, which is under the purview of the Human Resources Ministry.
The following day, another suspect identified as Sivakumar’s female private secretary was arrested by the anti-graft agency.
