MACC can start probes without reports, says Teresa

Summary

• Seputeh MP Teresa Kok says MACC can start investigations without a report, after criticism from Putra president Ibrahim Ali.

• This is over the arrest of two of Kok's former staff as part of a probe into alleged bribes in the supply of interactive smart boards for several schools in KL.

The MACC can start investigations without a formal report, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok told Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) president Ibrahim Ali.

In addressing Ibrahim’s criticism over Kok not reporting her former officers to MACC, the DAP politician said her recent parliamentary speech calling on the graft buster to investigate her ex-aides for alleged misappropriation of her constituency funds should suffice.

“MACC or the police, or any government agency, can initiate an investigation even without any report,” she told the New Straits Times.

Yesterday, Ibrahim said Kok had violated the MACC Act when she failed to bring the case to the graft buster’s attention after learning about her former officers’ actions.

Alleged misappropriation, bribery

Recently, two of Kok’s former staff were arrested as part of investigations into alleged bribes in the supply of interactive smart boards for several schools in Kuala Lumpur.

The pair previously managed finances and constituency funds at Kok’s service centre before resigning last year.

Meanwhile, Kok said the Federal Territory Implementation Coordination Unit had informed her that 16 schools had received RM99,000 each from her constituency funds.

But she added that an electronics dealer had told her the cost for three smartboards and three smart TVs per school was RM55,299.

The MACC confirmed that the case is being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act.

The report also claimed that both men, in their 30s, had solicited and received approximately RM500,000 in bribes in exchange for approving RM1.5 million in public funds under the “Projek Mesra Rakyat” initiative for the supply of interactive smart boards.

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