Lawyer: All evidence furnished yet MACC summons whistleblower again

Summary

• Whistleblower’s lawyer says they were not informed why MACC wants a fourth session lasting 2 days over the Sabah graft scandal.

• Mahajoth questions the authorities’ lack of updates on his client’s police report against Membakut rep.

MACC has again summoned the whistleblower who exposed the mineral licence graft scandal implicating several Sabah assemblypersons.

Speaking to reporters outside the anti-graft agency's headquarters in Putrajaya today, the whistleblower's legal counsel said his client was not informed why the commission wishes to see him for a fourth time.

"(MACC) called (the whistleblower) in for a two-day session - today and tomorrow.

"I don't know what more we can provide (the graftbusters). As far as my client is concerned, all evidence has already been furnished," said lawyer Mahajoth Singh.

The whistleblower, known only as Albert, is understood to have previously submitted to the MACC extensive and unedited video recordings, with over 300 pages of corroborating evidence, call logs, WhatsApp message records, and other digital documentation supporting his allegations.

Mahajoth (above) highlighted that MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki had announced that at least two individuals will be charged soon in connection with the ongoing corruption scandal.

"Based on what has been said (by the MACC) in the past weeks, charges are forthcoming (against those allegedly involved in the scandal). We hope that this is true," he added.

The lawyer had previously criticised Azam's statement, stressing that the evidence that the whistleblower presented thus far indicates a broader circle of individuals involved in alleged corruption.

What happened to false report case?

Mahajoth also slammed the police for supposedly failing to provide any updates regarding Albert's report accusing the Sabah governor's son-in-law, Arifin Arif, of filing a false police report.

Reiterating claims that the authority has kept mum on the matter since Albert's report was filed earlier in February, the lawyer said he and his client remain in the dark over the status of the investigation.

"Over the past four months, we have been vigilant and religiously attempting to follow up with the police, (but) until today, we are back in the same rut.

"There are no updates from the police, who have not even taken (Albert's) statement (regarding the report)," Mahajoth said today.

He added that he had written to Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar on June 5 under Section 107A(5) of the Criminal Procedure Code pertaining to the public prosecutor's powers to direct the police to provide a detailed investigation status report.

However, nearly two weeks later, Mahajoth said he has yet to receive a response on the matter.

"In the letter to the attorney-general, it was mentioned that four months have passed since (Albert's) report, which was backed by overwhelming evidence.

"We don't know why they (authorities) have taken this approach... just let us know what's happening with the report," he lamented.

He stressed that Section 182 of the Penal Code criminalises providing false information to a public servant, with a warning against the offence prominently displayed at every police station.

In April, the lawyer wrote to Serdang Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Nazaruddin Abd Razak to obtain updates regarding the report.

The letter was also copied to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain, Bukit Aman CID chief Shuhaily Zain, and the case’s investigating officer based at the Serdang police district headquarters.

Previously, Malaysiakini reported on the businessperson-turned-whistleblower's claim that Arifin had offered him a settlement to silence him.

The Membakut assemblyperson vehemently denied the allegation, lodging a police report on Feb 5 claiming that he had been wrongly accused.

The whistleblower had then filed a police report against Arifin the next morning, asserting that the latter had lodged a false report.

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