The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is closely monitoring private and political secretaries of cabinet ministers over allegations that they are living beyond their means.

 

An MACC spokesperson, contacted by Malaysiakini, said it is aware of the situation.

 

“We are monitoring them very closely. The MACC cannot simply raid a person's house on grounds of suspicion as there must be evidence of an illegal transaction or alleged corrupt practices,” the spokesperson, on grounds that the person is not named.

 

The source said the commission had taken action on such officers in the past.

 

For this reason the graft body is pushing for a new law to force people who are under suspicion to declare their assets.

 

At present there is no such provision, the person said, adding that the proposal was suggested by a panellist in the commission.

 

With the new law it would be more effective in catching those who live beyond their means.

 

'Support new law on declaring assets'

 

“When the MACC introduces the new law, we want people to support it,” said the source.

 

The MACC source said this when asked to comment on a report in Malaysiakini yesterday, where an Umno leader wants the commission to act on the private and political secretaries of Umno ministers, who he claimed were living beyond their means.

 

"Where did they get the income to live in such luxury? What are their other sources of income?" the division leader asked, adding they have luxurious houses that he did not think they could afford with their salaries.

 

"Rumour has it they get 'favours' for arranging certain people to meet their bosses," he added.

 

In the past, the MACC had charged Hasbie Satar, political secretary to the then second finance minister. His case is ongoing at the Sessions Court in Butterworth.

 

Earlier this year, the MACC detained a private secretary to a federal minister in Kuching for making an RM500,000 false claim .

 

In 2013, Suhaimi Ibrahim , who once worked as political secretary to then women, family and community development minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, was called in by the MACC for allegedly siphoning money from the 1Azam scheme that is meant for the poor.