Summary

  • Bersatu’s Tun Faisal said media reports on Ali Mohamad’s arrest by MACC were misleading, noting the alleged offences occurred when Ali was still with Umno and serving as deputy Senate president.

  • Ali is being probed over alleged bribes linked to a RM44 million sea reclamation project between 2021 and 2023.

  • Tun Faisal questioned the timing of the arrest, suggesting it may be selective prosecution, as Ali was preparing a case against the Malacca chief minister.

Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said media reports stating that his deputy, Ali Mohamad, was arrested by the MACC do not accurately reflect the situation.

He explained that the MACC’s allegations relate to the awarding of concessions between 2021 and 2023, during which time Ali was Tangga Batu Umno division chief and deputy president of the Senate.

“Headlines like ‘MACC arrests Bersatu deputy information chief over graft’ do not provide the correct context regarding the arrest of former deputy speaker and former Umno division chief Ali Mohamad.

“I contacted Ali’s legal counsel, who confirmed that the MACC’s charges relate to concessions awarded during the BN-led Malacca state administration, when the chief minister was from Umno.

“At that time, Ali was still Umno division chief and deputy Senate president (from Dec 10, 2020 to May 10, 2023).”

Tun Faisal said a more accurate headline would be: “MACC arrests former deputy speaker over graft” or “MACC arrests former Umno division chief over graft”.

Ali was arrested during an MACC raid on his house in Tangga Batu, Malacca, yesterday evening.

He was brought before a magistrate this morning, who granted a six-day remand order.

Bersatu deputy information chief Ali Mohamad

A Bernama report quoted an MACC source stating that a 61-year-old man was remanded for six days to facilitate an investigation into alleged bribery involving sea reclamation works between 2021 and 2023.

The suspect was described as a “company director with the title Datuk Seri, who is also a senior leader of a political party”, which matches Ali’s description.

The report stated that the unnamed suspect was being investigated for allegedly soliciting bribes in connection with a RM44 million sea reclamation project in Kota Laksamana.

‘Why is Ali accused now?’

Meanwhile, Tun Faisal questioned the arrest and asked whether this was a case of selective prosecution.

He pointed out that Ali was never part of the state or federal administration, and was not a decision-maker in either administration on matters related to concessions.

“Why was Ali not accused when he was in Umno as part of the Pakatan Harapan-BN government in Malacca, which lasted from 2021 until 2023? Why is Ali only being accused by the MACC now, in 2025, when he is no longer an Umno member?

“Is this another case of selective prosecution against the opposition? Or, is this selective prosecution on a former Umno leader who is taking legal action against the Malacca government and chief minister?” he asked.

Ali was sacked from Umno last May following his move to join Bersatu.

Earlier, political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin claimed that Ali had been preparing to bring a case against Malacca Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh.

MACC nabs ex-Dewan Negara deputy president, now Bersatu leader

MACC nabs ex-Dewan Negara deputy president, now Bersatu leader