The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) operations evaluation panel has instructed the operations division to collect further evidence against Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman before the matter can proceed to prosecution.

NONE According to MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull ( right ), the matter was presented to the panel at their last sitting in May.

“The investigation against Musa is on corruption (not abuse of power) and we have completed the investigation, but the panel has instructed us to get more evidence,” he said.

He had said this when asked by reporters if the investigations against Musa are among those hampered due to provisions under Section 23 of the MACC Act, as mentioned by PAS’ Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub.

The section deals with the use of office or position for personal gratification.

NONE A member of the bi-partisan special committee on corruption, Salahuddin had said the MACC had told the committee that "six investigation papers" have been opened against a "state leader (ketua negeri) popularly known for (his) wealth", but the matter cannot proceed due to " archaic laws ".

Paper trail leading to Musa

Among others, whistleblower website Sarawak Report in April revealed documents purportedly from the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), claiming that a Sabah lawyer has a Swiss bank account holding close to US$30 million on trust for Musa.

The paper trail illustrates how millions in Euro and in US, Hong Kong and Singapore dollars flowed from certain companies into accounts managed by Sabah timber trader Michael Chia and his nominees in Hong Kong, to a number of British Virgin Island companies and then to the lawyer's account.

The accumulated money was then passed into an account in Zurich in Musa's name, according to the chart.

The website claimed that it has copies of numerous bank statements that verify the information in the flow chart.

Musa has denied Sarawak Report's claims, dismissing them as " recycled allegations ".

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