KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership has confirmed that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) visited the law firm yesterday and demanded documents related to some clients.
The Edge reported the firm as saying in a statement that 12 MACC officers were involved in the visit, but gave its assurance that no client documents were given despite the investigators’ demands.
“We have informed the MACC officers and we wish to reiterate the legal sanctity of a law office where clients’ documents are legally privileged and cannot be seized by the MACC by reason of Section 46 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
“Section 46 clearly recognises the legal inviolability of privileged information or communication. Accordingly, the MACC officers had no access to any of our clients’ documents,” the legal firm was quoted as saying.
The firm stressed that it is committed to preventing “any form of abuse, exploitation or coercion by any authority in the course of us acting for our clients”.
“The rakyat has the right to legal representation and this universal principle cannot be ignored. Lawyers are a key part of the administration of justice in a society that aspires to be a functioning and progressive democracy.
“Lawyers and law enforcement agencies are duty bound to respect and uphold the law. We remain committed to this principle, and we will continue to protect the legal rights and interest of all our clients — without fear or favour,” it was quoted as saying.
Earlier, Bernama reported that MACC investigating several individuals suspected of being involved in corruption and money laundering during the government’s efforts to recover assets related to 1MDB.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki when contacted confirmed that the investigation is being conducted under the MACC Act 2009 as well as the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
“MACC also denies that the presence of its officers at the law firm’s premises violates any existing laws because the commission adheres to regulations and is aware of the privacy between the lawyer and their clients,” he said.
According to The Edge, one of the lawyers involved in the probe had described the investigation as malicious, made up of false accusations, and meant to ostracise the firm’s lawyers.
The lawyer said he was held at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya for about four hours from late afternoon to about 8pm on Friday for questioning purposes, with another senior partner, after the anti-graft body went to their office on Friday morning and took some documents.
The news report stated that investigation is on an undisclosed report that the Goldman Sachs settlement was unfavourable to Malaysia because the law firm allegedly received kickbacks from the US financial institution.
The lawyer said there were past striking allegations made by an individual and an organisation against him, and the lawyer had taken action to clear his name, resulting in an apology from one of them.
“I had also lodged reports on this matter in 2021 and this year,” the lawyer was quoted as saying.
The lawyer, in the note to the firm, also said it was illogical to suggest that he or the firm had manipulated the Goldman Sachs negotiation, as it was also supervised by the 1MDB task force that comprised the attorney general, Bank Negara governor, Securities Commission Malaysia chairman, Inspector General of Police, National Anti-Financial Crime Centre and the Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre under the Finance Ministry, and headed by the then finance minister.
“Even the MACC Chief Commissioner and the MACC director of anti-money laundering were directly involved. Surely they would know it is impossible to fiddle with the negotiations,” the lawyer was quoted as saying.
The lawyer also added that he had sent a letter to current 1MDB task force chairman and Titiwangsa Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani to deny the new allegations.
The name of the lawyer was withheld by the news portal as he is a subject on the ongoing probe.
