Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should give a public assurance that Umno would not usurp the powers of the ACA (Anti-Corruption Agency) from conducting investigations and determining cases that should be referred to it, said Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang today.

"Such an assurance from the prime minister is imperative and timely after the ACA and the Malaysian public have been told in no uncertain terms that the party is out of bounds, or access is allowed within the strict confinement decided by Umno leaders - which are against both the spirit and letter of the law and the constitution," he said in a statement.

Lim was refering to remarks from Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who was quoted in the media today as saying that Umno would deal with problems concerning money politics internally.

The opposition leader added it is time that Abdullah gives an assurance that the party would cooperate and allow transparency.

He also urged Attorney-General Gani Patail to clearly state to the cabinet that no individual, political party or organisation escape the Anti-Corruption Act or any law.

Lim added that Gani should elaborate the actions which should be taken to strike down such illegal usurpation of powers.

Yesterday Najib commented that the Umno supreme council would not report cases of money politics within the party to the ACA or the police.

Instead, the party's vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin would tackle these "in-house" problems as disciplinary problems, Najib had added.

No restrictions

The ACA, Lim stressed, must probe the money politics cases without any strings attached and that there should be no restrictions in dealing with such cases within the party.

ACA chief Zulkipli Mat Noor stated yesterday that money politics is corruption and that under the Anti-Corruption Act 1997, Umno or any political party does not enjoy any discretion to decide money politics cases which should be referred or withheld from the ACA.

The act does not give any exception to any authority, including the Umno supreme council, to conduct investigations and determine potential cases, added the ACA chief.

Lim also urged the ACA to act on the report lodged by DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng yesterday on money politics in the Umno supreme council's election in September.

"Investigations should be done without fear of rank or position. The credibility of the ACA should be intact. The agency should be able to discharge its duties to fight corruptions without any restrictions," he said.