The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is the proper law enforcement agency to investigate the Copgate allegations, argued Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today.

“If they want an investigation, we can investigate. But the proper agency to do so is the MACC. This is because it involves a former IGP and if the police investigate, they (the opposition) will say that it is not fair,” Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told the Dewan Rakyat during his turn at winding-up the debate on the Royal Address for his ministry.

He was responding to queries from R Sivarasa (PKR-Subang), Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) and Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) who stood up to intervene, asking him to respond to the serious Copgate allegations.

“If you have new information, submit it to the MACC,” added the minister.

The scandal allegedly linked a former top cop and a serving attorney-general with framing police officers to cover up the crimes of an underworld figure.

Hishammuddin’s answer came after a near-altercation between the opposition MPs on one side and the home minister and BN backbenchers on the other, as the Pakatan parliamentarians continued to press the minister for an answer.

This prompted the backbenchers to retaliate with their own jibes.

‘Speaker facepalmed’

The parliamentarians’ actions, however, did not impress speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, who had to ask them to calm down and sit several times.

In one instance, the speaker had to switch off the microphones as the ruckus grew too loud and he covered his face with his hands in frustration.

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The Copgate allegations were levelled by former KL CID chief Ramli Yusoff ( left ) who alleged that he and some of his men involved with investigating a Johor-based crime tycoon were targeted and framed for allegedly fabricating evidence to derail their investigations and protect the crime figure allegedly linked to then-police chief Musa Aman.

Ramli also alleged that serving attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail was also in cahoots with Musa, having manipulated the Anti-Corruption Agency, the forerunner of the MACC, to fabricate the evidence against the police officers.

Recently, Ramli came forward with new evidence as well as a witness still currently serving in the force, Musa’s former aide-de-camp, who is willing to testify.

Hishammuddin had previously dismissed the allegations as “old news” already investigated and found to be without merit.

However, he had asked those with any further allegations to provide hard evidence to the authorities, so that they can investigate.