MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki confirmed this after receiving a report on the case and called on all quarters to give the MACC the time and space to carry out the investigation.
Although such investigations are welcomed, the MACC’s initial reluctance to commence investigations into the matter on account of a report not having been lodged must be noted and I had previously stated that such a report was not necessary having regard to the fact that an investigation had already been launched in Australia by the Australian federal police on the matter.
No doubt, Bukit Aman has confirmed that Wan Ahmad was cleared of the matter after an internal probe.
However, the MACC cannot take such a simplistic approach in its investigations over the matter as the said Australian authorities have suspected a “flurry of suspicious cash deposits” into Najmuddin’s Commonwealth Bank “Goal Saver” bank account, which had been lying dormant after it was opened in 2011 according to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald recently which indicates there is possibly more to this saga than what the said internal probe at Bukit Aman revealed.
The position is further compounded by Wan Ahmad’s refusal to redeem the said RM971,500.00 via legally recognized avenues in Australia on the ground that it would be too expensive to do so despite certain quarters offering him assistance to do so now.
In the circumstances, the investigations of the MACC must include the investigations of the Australian federal police and not merely what was investigated by Bukit Aman locally as it would have been unlikely that the said internal probe would have considered matters that are being investigated by the said Australian authorities.
Matters such as who deposited the amounts into Wan Ahmad’s said account in Australia and his/her motive for doing so must be thoroughly investigated and as such, I call upon the MACC to cooperate with the said Australian federal police and not to confine its investigations to the narrow limits of the said Bukit Aman probe and Wan Ahmad’s explanation alone.
Dated this 8th March, 2018.
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RAMKARPAL SINGH
Member of Parliament
Bukit Gelugor
Democratic Action Party