MACC: We can probe any public official

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) has quashed claims by certain parties that it had crossed boundaries by initiating a probe into Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

It said the law empowers it to investigate any civil servant suspected of involvement in corruption, and that it is the MACC’s responsibility to investigate any report or official complaint made to it on matters that come under its purview.

Section 3 of the MACC Act 2009, states, the MACC has the power to investigate any government official including parliamentarians, assemblymen and judges from any court of law.

The commission said that in line with the principle of separation of powers, investigation papers were handed over to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) upon conclusion of a probe. The AGC would then decide the next course of action.

MACC said it has, previously, investigated a judge, before handing over the probe papers to the AGC.

It said the probe into Mohd Nazlan is a case of public interest and it is in its early stages of investigation after three reports were received in March and April.

It said when a probe is initiated into an individual, it does not imply that he or she has committed an offence.

Mohd Nazlan is being probed following allegations of having RM1 million in his bank account.

On Monday, Pasir Gudang member of Parliament Hassan Abdul Karim had called the probe on Mohd Nazlan an attack on the judiciary and a violation of the principle of separation of powers.

He said the public construes the investigations into Mohd Nazlan as connected with the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial.

Mohd Nazlan, who was then a High Court judge, had found former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak guilty of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad.