The National Integrity Plan has become a joke with the three-month dilly-dallying in clearing or charging Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum over RM5.5 million corruption allegations when investigations had been completed in the past three months.

It was some 14 weeks ago that news reports of “Freedom for RM5m” (Star 3.3.07), “Pemimpin politik terima sogokan RM5j disiasat” (Utusan Malaysia 3.3.07) and “Probe on ‘VIP’ for Graft” (New Sunday Times 4.3.07) of the RM5.5 million “Freedom for Sale” allegations that Johari had released three men held under the Emergency Ordinance shocked Malaysians.

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general, Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan, was reported by the New Straits Times of April 21, 2007 as saying that the ACA had completed its investigations into the RM5.5 million “Freedom for Sale” allegations “shortly after” the deputy minister was questioned by ACA officials on March 19 and that the investigation papers were in the hands of the prosecution division.

Yesterday, the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail said he was still looking into investigation papers on Johari and the former ACA director-general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor, adding: “I have nothing else to say. I have to look at certain things more this afternoon.” (Sun)

This is totally unsatisfactory, unacceptable and intolerable, raising the question whether the Attorney-General is fully committed to the National Integrity Plan and has placed the upholding of national integrity particularly among the top government leadership as top priority in the agenda of the AG’s Chambers. Read the rest of this entry »