MACC receives list of BN potential candidates

KOTA BHARU: The Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) has received a list of Barisan Nasional’s ( BN) potential candidates for screening for the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).

MACC deputy chief commissioner (Operations) Datuk Azam Baki said the list submitted by BN, however, only contained the names of several individuals and not the party’s complete list of candidates.

“So far, we have only received several names from the ruling party and it is not a complete list, while other parties have yet to submit any names for screening.

“We will only screen the names submitted to us,” he told reporters after visiting Kelantan MACC Office here yesterday.

Present was Kelantan MACC director Datuk Moh Samsudin Yusoff.

So far, we have only received several names from the ruling party and it is not a complete list, while other parties have yet to submit any names for screening.

Elaborating, Azam said political parties need not be afraid to submit the names of their candidates for screening as the MACC had never leaked their information to any quarters.

“We will never leak confidential information to any quarters as it involves ethics and the trust placed on us. We are ready to lend a hand to help any political party (to screen their potential candidates),” he said.

In another development, Azam said he had instructed the Perak MACC to begin investigating the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan ( SMK) Hutan Melintang’s open hall project, which was alleged to be less satisfactory.

“I have ordered the Perak MACC director to immediately begin the investigation today by gathering necessary documents from all the parties involved in the project.

“Usually, for this kind of cases, we have to study the documents first, and at the same time, we have to see from the angles of corruption or abuse of power.

“The result will be known in two or three weeks from now,” he said.

Last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, when opening the school’s new hall, was reported to be dissatisfied with the project which he claimed did not commensurate with the RM600,000 allocated by the Prime Minister’s Department.

On the latest development of the probe into the undersea tunnel project in Penang, Azam said 10 new witnesses had been summoned to give their statements.

“We are still scrutinising the technical aspects in the case and no arrest was made so far,” he said.

On the Corruption-Free Pledge ( IBR), he said the Selangor government had yet to agree to take the pledge.

“The IBR is voluntary and we don’t give any deadline to any quarters.

“It’s up to them, if they want to take the pledge, we will give our cooperation to make it work.” — Bernama

Datuk Azam Baki, MACC deputy chief commissioner (Operations)