GLC sued over alleged failure to protect whistleblowers

A government-linked company (GLC) has been hauled before the civil court over purported contravention of its policy to protect whistleblowers.

Plaintiff Ibrahim A Hamid filed the RM10 million lawsuit against Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (PHB) and several of its top management last week.

According to his statement, Ibrahim is suing the company over alleged malicious falsehood and conspiracy to injure the plaintiff that led to the destruction of his career as the head of PHB’s integrity and governance unit.

He seeks monetary compensation over the defendants’ alleged failure to fulfil their fiduciary duties.

“This lawsuit’s cause of action touches over the failure of PHB’s board of directors and senior management to fulfil their fiduciary duties contained in PHB’s anti-corruption, whistleblowing policy and code of conduct,” Ibrahim said.

The plaintiff said his counsel from law firm Khalek Awang & Associates filed the civil action at the Shah Alam High Court last Friday and is in the process of serving cause papers to the defendants.

Previously, Malaysiakini reported that MACC officers visited PHB’s office in Shah Alam, Selangor, on June 5 as part of an investigation into alleged abuse of power at the GLC.

MACC Special Operations Division chief Azmi Kamaruzaman was reported saying they were checking information that a “very senior officer” at PHB allegedly abused their position to enjoy benefits beyond what they were entitled to.

The anti-graft watchdog said they received information on the alleged misconduct from a whistleblower.

PHB is a state-owned investment company under the Prime Minister’s Department. It is governed by a board of trustees chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

According to its website, PHB was established in 2006 as a property investment company “mandated by the government to increase bumiputera participation in the ownership of prime commercial real estate assets in Malaysia”.

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