Stop using MACC to harass opposition or I will expose gov't's wrongdoings - Dr M

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has claimed that Perikatan Nasional is using enforcement agencies like the MACC to pressure the Opposition, and is threatening to expose “government wrongdoings” if this persists. 

At a press conference at his office in Putrajaya today, he also accused PN of indirectly using political appointments involving GLC and minister positions as "indirect bribes".

He further claimed that public funds allocated to Covid-19 recovery programmes had not reached their target recipients. 

Earlier, National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed, who is also the former MACC chief, was spotted at Mahathir's office though it is not clear why he was there.

Speaking on the alleged harassment, namely towards Bersatu Youth and parent party members, Mahathir said if these Najib Abdul Razak-era tactics didn't stop, he would expose the government's wrongdoings.

"We are surprised that the MACC is doing this, detaining people, questioning them and all that.

"If they don't (stop) we have to be very active in exposing all the wrong things that they carry out," he said.

He declined to elaborate what it was that he would expose but said it did not involve Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Following Mahathir’s press conference, Bersatu Youth member Adam Mukhriz Mohd Muhayeddin showed the media a police report that he had made claiming that he and another party member had been interrogated in isolation by the MACC until the wee hours of the morning today.

Adam is also Mahathir’s media aide. Meanwhile, Siti Nurul Hidayah, Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s personal assistant, also claimed that she had been unfairly treated in being questioned by MACC officers.

Holding up her police report, she said that she had been summoned for questioning thrice since April.

Siti claimed that MACC officers had confiscated her mobile phone, thrown the phone at her, used curse words against her, threatened to slap her, kicked her chair and switched off the lights during these questioning sessions.

She claimed she was made to answer questions about Syed Saddiq’s personal life and believed that the officers’ tactics were to pressure her to confess information that implicated him.

“They asked me to stand for 30 minutes while raising one leg and both my hands. If I got tired, they told me I could change my leg while I continued to give my statement.

“I believe I was summoned to help with an investigation as a witness and not a suspect. Such actions are to scare me so I can give them answers that they want and not my real answers,” read her report.

Malaysiakini has contacted the MACC for comment.

The anti-graft agency previously said there was “ no political motive” in its detention of a Bersatu Youth member as part of its investigation into missing cash from Syed Saddiq’s home.

Earlier, Mahathir had accused the government of having a tendency towards “corruption” and “abuse of power”, adding that “his members” were being enticed to support PN with offers of high-salaried government positions.

“So many of these people are appointed because they want to indirectly bribe these people. And many of them, unfortunately, have succumbed to these offers by the government,” he claimed.

Since forming government, PN has replaced the heads of many government-linked companies with MPs.

Mahathir is presently embroiled in a power struggle with Muhyiddin for control over Bersatu. The former has also filed a motion of no-confidence against the PM, which is expected to be tabled in the July Dewan Rakyat sitting.  

C4 founder to be quizzed by police, activists flay use of oppressive laws

Muhyiddin's axe falls on three Bersatu leaders aligned to Dr M

Report: MACC says 'no political motive' behind Bersatu Youth member's arrest

MACC and AG must act on 'Muhyiddin tape' - Ramkarpal