The alleged graft file of PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is a weapon to ensure his loyalty to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, Utusan Malaysia reports today.

The Umno-owned daily cited sources as saying that the file had probably fallen into the hands of Anwar's men to threaten Azmin, should his loyalty to Anwar change.

"Anwar made a statement a few years ago admitting that he is in possession of 14 confidential documents. Maybe Azmin's investigation paper is one of the confidential documents," Utusan quotes a source as saying.

anuar shaari permatang pauh leave pkr 270307 retort The source also claimed that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had reopened Azmin's case in 2009, based on new evidence submitted by Anwar's former private secretary Anuar Shaari ( left ).

But the investigation met with difficulties in obtaining relevant evidence and documents as the case happened too long ago, said the source.

According to Raja Petra Kamarudin, who revealed details of the corruption allegation against Azmin on Tuesday, the case was closed in 1995 by the then Anti-Corruption Agency (now known as MACC) director-general Shafee Yahaya on the instruction of Anwar, the then deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Azmin was Anwar's private secretary then.

The source told Utusan Malaysia that if the investigation was allowed to continue in 1995, the problem of obtaining documents and evidence would not have arisen.

"Clearly Anwar's interference disrupted Azmin's case," said the source.

However, Shafee has denied that he closed the file, instead he had recommended to Anwar that disciplinary action be taken against Azmin.

Missing file

Meanwhile English daily New Straits Times revealed that Azmin's file is missing from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).

Quoting sources, it reported that police felt it was premature for the ACA to declare 'No Further Action' (NFA) on the case without even submitting the investigation papers to the AG's Chambers.

The police then applied to the chambers to investigate the decision to close the case.

The daily said it learnt that police applied to the AGC for the ACA case file in 1997 and the file was subsequently returned to the chambers.

However, highly-placed sources told the newspaper, the file was no longer in the AG's possession and now nobody knows where it is.

"It is perplexing that the information in the 1995 case file as well as exhibits attached to the investigation papers have made it to the public domain.

"There may be a link between the disappearance of the papers and its recent re-emergence.

raja petra kamaruddin "So, the question now is, who took the papers between 1997 and 1998, and what reason have they to take it away?" the sources are quoted as saying.

Hours after Raja Petra ( left ) made the allegation online, the MACC lodged a police report about the alleged leaked file.

According MCA-owned daily The Star , Putrajaya police chief Abdul Razak Abdul Majid confirmed the report and the case is being investigated under the Official Secrets Act.

In another related development, Azmin's sister Ummi Hafilda Ali, who has been attacking her brother in the media, called a press conference yesterday and furnished documents on financial transactions worth up to RM30 million allegedly involving Azmin and his wife, Shamsidar.

Ummi Hafilda claimed that most of the transactions ranged from RM50,000 to RM500,000 each and were made from 1992 to 1994.

 

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