MACC to vet only election candidates

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will only run background checks on election candidates and not their family members in its vetting process.

MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said findings on the candidates would also be kept confidential.

“Screening is only on candidates and not their family members. This is just a vetting process, not an investigation,” he said yesterday.

Dzulkifli said MACC would not divulge details of people who had been selected by political parties to be their candidates in the upcoming general election.

On how the commission conducted the vetting process, Dzulfifli said: “We have our own way.”

He said the results of vetting, including information on graft involving candidates, would be handed over to their parties for further action.

On the same issue, he said the commission had started the vetting process on election candidates from Barisan Nasional.

On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also BN chairman, said the coalition had provided the graft busters with some names for background checks by MACC.

Although it is not compulsory for any political party to submit its list of election candidates, MACC welcomed such a move.

Dzulkifli said investigation into property purchases by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FIC) would be completed within the next two weeks.

“We will try to complete the investigation and submit the investigation papers (to the Attorney-General’s Chambers) by next week or the following week.”

Dzulkifli had earlier closed the MACC’s anti-graft roadshow called “Kembara Jelajah Anti Rasuah”. The 13-day event, which began on Sept 18, involved 44 motorcycles and two buses to transport senior MACC officers during their visits nationwide.