FIC big fish in MACC net
Two former top guns of Felda Investment Corporation – ex-CEO Zaid Abdul Jalil and Mohd Zahid Md Arip, the special officer to the former Felda chairman – have been remanded over the overpriced purchases of hotels in London and Kuching. The MACC has warned of even more arrests in the matter as its chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad marked his first anniversary in office. It has indeed been an eventful year for him.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s top graft buster Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad (pic) marked his first anniversary in office on a day which saw two top officers of the Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) being remanded over the overpriced purchase of hotels in Kuching and London.
Dzulkifli Ahmad admitted that it had been tough and was thankful at having completed a year in office.
“I am still surviving. Alhamdulillah,” he said.
“From the feedback I obtained, the people are happy with MACC’s achievements so far.”
Dzulkifli said his task remained an uphill one but added that he and his team would weather the challenges despite pressure from detractors.
“I have said it before and I will say it again. I have set a target until 2020 to reduce, or if possible, eradicate malpractice, fraud and dishonesty among civil servants and the private sector,” Dzulkifli told pressmen at the launch of Sahabat Gerah MACC at a hotel here.
“We want the public to hate bribery and to be our eyes and ears to nip the problem in the bud.
“We will continue with the present system of enforcement and pre- vention until we become the most feared outfit in Malaysia,” he added.
Dzulkifli and his men distributed pamphlets on Gerah to the public during a walkabout session.
The Gerah (Gerakan Revolusi Anti- Rasuah) campaign was launched in May andd isi heldhld on theth first Monday of everyy month, with MACC officers going to the ground to engage the public.
Some 2,000 MACC officerso nationwide have become “aagents” of this initiative, and are taskked with meeting the people.
On another matterr, Dzulkifli said a special team wouuld investigate possible corruptioon and abuse of power that might have been revealed in the Auditor- General ’s Report 2016 Series 1.
“I promise that the e MACC will take actionn if necessary. From mym reading, there are issu ues that can be scrutinis sed,” he told reporters afte er the launch of the “Frien nds of MACC” initiative heree yesterday.
The Auditor-Generalal’ss Report 2016 Series 1, tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, contains 353 recommendations to help the Federal Government and federal and state statutory bodies rectify weaknesses.
Dzulkifli also said that so far, 1,0071007 peoplel hhadd appliedlid onlineli over the MACC website to be “Friends of MACC”.
The initiative was launched on May 8 to endear the MACC to the people and provide them an opportunity to work with the antigraft body to fight corruption and abuse of power.
Dzulkifli also said the Whistle Blower Protection
Act 2010 was sufficient to protect those who reported corrupt acts to the authorities.
“MACC is not the only agency looking after whistleblowers. There are other agencies like the police, which can protect them.
The Whistle Blower Protection Act 2010 regulates disclosures by any person reporting improper conduct,td bothbth iin theth publicbli and d prii vate sectors, and to protect persons making the disclosures from detrimental action. The Act also provides a reward to be paid to the whistle blowers.