Investigate other depts for corruption – Lajim

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian AntiCorruption Agency (MACC) has been urged to investigate other government departments and agencies for corruption and abuse as investigation into the State's 'Watergate' scandal is nearly completed.

Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan) president Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin said he believes that the MACC will have no problem probing into possibilities of graft and abuses in other departments should there be any reports of such cases.

“The MACC could either go undercover as one of the officers in the department involved, or they can respond to any reports claiming there is corruption in the department,” he said.

Lajim disclosed that he had previously brought up the proposal urging the state government to come up with a White Paper on the State's Water Department scandal, which is the nation's biggest graft bust by the MACC.

“I've brought it up before during the State Assembly sitting. With such a big case, a detailed investigation and disclosure of its findings are vital, so as not to let government officers become the scapegoats,” he said yesterday.

Lajim was earlier asked to comment on Parti Warisan Sabah's call for a White Paper on the State's 'Watergate' scandal.

MACC is in its final stages of investigation into the scandal, which commenced two months ago. The investigation involved the arrests of 28 people, including the State Water Department's director, two deputy directors, 23 engineers and technicians as well as two civilians linked to the case, and the recording of statements of over 200 witnesses.