YOURSAY | 'Misuse of a position as in the case of MO1 for personal gain is indeed corruption.'

1MDB not an issue of corruption, says ex-MACC man

Ferdtan: Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner Zakaria Jaffar said, “1MDB doesn't fall under MACC."

With such an idiotic top officer like him who once led MACC, no wonder the anti-corruption agency is now the laughingstock of the country. 1MDB is no investment scheme but a ‘scam’ to defraud Malaysians.

And in this case it is called kleptocracy - grand theft by the ruling class who are in power.

Zakaria said MACC officers have to answer to Allah if they have failed in their duties. Zakaria, don’t worry, your turn will come, and invoking God’s name will not get you a reprieve for your hypocrisy.

Victor Johan: Help us the laymen and mere mortals understand, Oh My Learned One, who is inspired by God, and with much wisdom, had just spoken these words: "It is an issue of investment, an issue of fraud, but it's not an issue of corruption."

And this very logic stems out from a PAS-organised Q&A session, and that too by a former MACC deputy chief commissioner.

Any wonder what the state of affairs within MACC was during Zakaria's time?

Wira: When public money, approved by 'Malaysian Official 1' (MO1), landed in the pockets of individuals linked to the approver with a huge chunk of that money going into his personal account, as detailed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and others, for MACC not to classify this as corruption is really bizarre and mind-boggling.

Jstom: No less than the DOJ released a statement on July 20, 2016 entitled, 'United States seeks to recover more than US$1 billion obtained from corruption involving Malaysian sovereign wealth fund'.

And our 'independent' MACC says there is no corruption. Oh Malaysia, where did we go wrong?

Drngsc: Of course, it is corruption. Just that you do not wish to see it.

What do you say when the prime minister signs a letter of support for a bond to be issued, then when the bond goes on sale, the money lands into someone's personal account?

Is that not corruption?

Roger 5201: Call it a donation, gift or philanthropy, but why would Good Star Ltd give US$94 million - "not to be construed as corruption" - to the prime minister's stepson Riza Aziz.

Was it for his contribution to the global community?

Robbed: Zakaria, you have to start with the presumption that there was corruption and let the courts decide.

If you start thinking there is no corruption, then you are set on finding there is no corruption.

Lone_Star: Simple definition of fraud: the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person.

Simple definition of corruption: dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers).

Do the two definitions look any different?

Kit P: If fraudulent transactions resulted in public funds being deposited in a public official's personal bank account, then both fraud and corruption have occurred.

Ckl0001: MO1 has influence in the raising of funds for 1MDB, and according to the financial trail, some money ended up in someone's personal account and MO1's relative's company account.

But MACC says it's not corruption but fraud. Wow! And he has the gumption to say it is according to someone's word, not his word.

Fairnsquare: Misuse of a position, as in the case of MO1 for personal gain, is indeed corruption.

Fair Play: The DOJ is investigating the activities, such as money laundering, and would take steps to recover such assets and return them to the people of Malaysia.

Money laundering activities are under the jurisdiction of Bank Negara, and not MACC, so they assert now.

MACC is drawing a fine line so that their new chief can close the case. This is known as taking the path of least resistance.

Legit: So they are passing the buck again, until nobody is responsible for anything. You ask the inspector-general of police (IGP) and he would say it is not under the jurisdiction of the police.

Bank Negara would have some cockamamie story to tell. So where do we go? The pirate goes scot-free and everybody lives happily ever after.

Tholu: Someone should check who initiated this ceramah by Putrajaya PAS. I strongly believe it would be their president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is courting close association with the chief offeror of "dedak" from Umno.

To the best of my knowledge, opposition political parties have invited past top leaders from the government and government-linked companies (GLCs) to deliver talks at their ceramah sessions to expose the corruption and abuse of power by politicians and top management officials in their respective institutions.

This must be a first for an opposition political party to invite a former top officer of a government institution to their ceramah to defend the ruling government's top leaders from accusation of massive corruption and abuse of authority for personal enrichment.

BohChaiSee: Is Zakaria telling us that there was no element of corruption at all in the 1MDB scandal? If he is, then God help us.

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