An opposition leader today challenged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to confirm the statement by de facto Law Minister Dr Rais Yatim, clearing International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz of corruption allegations.

Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor told malaysiakini that Abdullah must make a firm stand on Rafidah's case if he wants to prove his sincerity in fighting graft.

"We need to test Abdullah's commitment on this matter. Dr Rais made the statement clearing Rafidah during the regime of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad whom we all know was protecting Rafidah," he said.

"So now, we dare him (Abdullah) to tell the public that Rafidah is innocent."

Threat 'nothing new'

On Rafidah's threat to take legal action against those who claim that she is on the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigations list, Ezam said this was nothing new because she had made the same threat during the Lunas by-election in 2000.

"She had threatened to take me to court for alleging that she is a corrupt minister. That night, I repeated my claim, but until today she has yet to take legal action against me," said Ezam.

"I hope she files the suit soon because it will provide me with a platform to bring out all the evidence that I have against her."

The ACA investigated Rafidah from 1994 on her alleged involvement in the allotment of bumiputera shares - 1.5 million of Leader Universal Holdings Bhd shares and 4,173,190 units of FACB shares - to her son-in-law Fazrin Azwar Mohd Nor.

However, Rais told Parliament two years ago that the government would not be able to prosecute Rafidah as there was not enough evidence against her.

He added that the evidence "did not fulfil the standard of proof" required to take her to court.

Complaint to commission?

Mohd Ezam said he is also considering taking steps to "re-activate" the investigations by referring the matter to the Royal Commission on the Police, headed by former chief justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah.

"Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim lodged a police report in 1999 against Rafidah, but nothing had been done to date about this. The commission will have to investigate why the police have yet to start investigations," he said.

Ezam, who was convicted and jailed for two years for exposing secret documents of corruption investigations including one pertaining to Rafidah, said he would compile documentary evidence against Rafidah including the notes of proceeding of his trial under the Official Secrets Act.

"I can't bring out the ACA documents on Rafidah as these are classified secret. So I am considering presenting the notes of proceedings of my trial.

"There is enough evidence to show that there is basis to believe the corruption allegations against Rafidah," said Ezam who is appealing against the conviction and sentence.