KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today denied allegations that it was persecuting former minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s former aide James Chai, saying it was only seeking his cooperation to assist in an investigation.
MACC said its investigating officers had made several attempts to contact Chai, who was traced to be in the United Kingdom, before issuing a public search notice for him yesterday morning.
“Beginning February 24, 2026, the investigating officer attempted to contact him via WhatsApp using a telephone number belonging to James Chai, but no response was received,” it said in a statement today.
“After several attempts to contact him without response, the investigating officer’s number was eventually blocked by James Chai’s telephone number on February 26, 2026,” it added.
“Therefore, the claim that MACC did not attempt to contact him before issuing the notice is completely untrue.”
Yesterday, Chai in a six-page statement said MACC had resorted to issuing a public search notice and referencing him at MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki’s press conference instead of attempting to reach him directly or through people close to him.
Chai, who said he is currently working in the UK, listed several ways the commission could have tried to contact him, including by asking friends or former government colleagues for his WhatsApp number, emailing him, or messaging him through his social media accounts.
He also criticised MACC’s release of the address of his childhood home where his parents currently live, claiming it exposed his family to danger, and alleged that the public search was intended to portray him as a fugitive.
MACC today said Chai’s statement contained inaccurate and misleading claims that could give the public a false impression of the commission’s investigative procedures.
The commission said the press conference referenced by Chai was one of its regular media briefings held to update the press on developments in several ongoing investigations.
MACC said several cases were discussed during the briefing and rejected claims that the session was held solely to target Chai.
As for the public search notice, MACC said a Notice to Trace an individual or witness to assist in investigations is a standard investigative procedure used by the commission and other enforcement agencies.
It said such notices are issued only after attempts to contact an individual — including through telephone calls and visits to the last known address — have failed.
MACC said it issues between two and five Notices to Trace individuals on average each week depending on investigative needs.
While reiterating that it had attempted to contact Chai before issuing the notice, MACC said “attempts to portray normal investigative procedures as acts of persecution against an individual are unwarranted and made in bad faith”.
The commission added that such narratives could mislead the public and undermine confidence in legitimate law enforcement processes.
MACC also stressed that a Notice to Trace is not a criminal accusation and does not imply that an individual has committed any offence, but is merely a step to locate individuals required to assist in investigations.
The commission said it adheres to the principle of presumption of innocence, meaning a person is considered innocent until proven otherwise.
“Therefore, being called to assist in an investigation does not mean that the person is guilty or has committed an offence,” it said.
MACC added that it has already called in 12 individuals in connection with the investigation and that all have cooperated.
It said Chai should present himself and cooperate with the investigation, adding that the commission will continue to carry out the probe professionally and based on evidence.
