Veteran journalist R Nadeswaran today dropped his pen and paper for a rostrum today to take the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to task over several matters.

Nadeswaran, known for his Citizen Nades column in The Sun , was a participant at the launch of the Transparency International (TI) corruption perception index 2007 launch in Kuala Lumpur today.

During the panel discussion on Malaysia's performance in the survey, Nadeswaran ( photo ) trained his sights on ACA deputy director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed.

Abu Kassim had earlier blamed the media for not giving fair coverage to the number of successful cases which ACA had brought to court.

Unhappy with the statement, Nadeswaran retorted that it was the ACA and other departments that were not disseminating such information to the press.

"Problem seems to be - the government has the perception that Nadeswaran (and the media) is the enemy who is going to create problems for us," he said.

Nadeswaran suggested that the communication breakdown could be rectified if the ACA and other government departments had professional public relations teams.

Gymnast ordeal

Moving on, Nadeswaran highlighted the plight of 22-year old gymnast who went through an ordeal after reporting allegedly corrupt practices to the ACA.

The gymnast had lodged a report with the ACA over claims that her bank account is being used by a third party to siphon money from the Malaysian Sports Council.

According to Nadeswaran, the gymnast recently had her bank account book and her ATM card confiscated by the ACA.

"She had no money to move around.... the complainant has now become the accused," he stressed.

In a similar vein, Nadeswaran also slammed the ACA for clearing Port Klang assemblyperson Zakaria Md Deros of allegedly corrupt practices.

Nadeswaran claimed that the ACA was aware of Zakaria's "litany of nonsense" long before news broke about his scandals, which among others, involved the building of a 17-room mansion in Kampung Idaman, Klang.

"Zakaria's house now sits on land meant for low-cost houses. That means the state exco members who approved (the use of the land) were wrong. Shouldn't they be charged?

"Afterwards, there are people who (defend Zakaria) by saying 'He is a good leader. We need his services'... (But I say) he is a good leader who is good at teaching people how to steal land,"

"The ACA has suddenly said that (Zakaria) is cleared. How do you expect people to have faith (in the ACA?)," said Nadeswaran while looking sternly at Abu Kassim.

'Bank material were evidence'

In reply, Abu Kassim said the gymnast's bank-related affects were confiscated as part of evidence and were standard procedure.

"If a person is killed with a knife, surely the police would keep the knife as an exhibit (in court)," he said.

On dropping of charges against Zakaria, Abu Kassim could not comment for now as he would need to first refer to his case files.

In another matter, Abu Kassim said the confines of the law does not allow the ACA to initiate investigations on individuals suspected of living well beyond their means.

"The law states that if (the assets) are derived from corruption, then we can ask him to declare his assets," he explained.

Abu Kassim also assured Nadeswaran that the ACA was independent and had taken action against top government officials including ministers and menteris besar.

He also mooted the establishment of an ombudsman committee, similar to a system found in Hong Kong's revered Independent Commission Against Corruption, that would help explain ACA's position to the public.

TI-Malaysia president Ramon Navaratnam was quick to commend Abu Kassim on his suggestion and pledged TI's support for the establishment of such a committee.