I fully support the call by Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum for public announcement of outcome of Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigations on RM5.5 million graft allegations against him in connection with the Emergency Ordinance (EO) “freedom for sale” scandal.
The ACA acting director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan had said that ACA had completed its investigations on the graft allegations against Johari shortly after the deputy minister was questioned by ACA officials on March 19 and that the investigation papers are now in the hands of the prosecution division.
Johari said he hoped that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would announce its decision quickly to clear his name.
If what Ahmad Said is true, then the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should explain why the Attorney-General’s Chambers is taking more than a month to decide on the ACA investigations papers into Johari in connection with the RM5.5 million “EO freedom for sale” allegations.
The outcome of police investigations into the serious corruption allegations made against the then ACA director-general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor by former Sabah ACA director and whistleblower Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan in June last year should also be made public.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had told Berita Harian on Thursday that the police had completed investigations into the corruption allegations against Zulkipli after taking statements from 30 persons and that the investigations papers had been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
There is a lot of skepticism as to whether the different agencies would be able to do a thorough and professional job in these two investigations and public confidence is not enhanced with a continuing pall of silence and secrecy on the outcome of these two investigations.
For this reason, Gani Patail should either step forward to announce the outcome of these two investigations or the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz who is charge of the law portfolio should make a ministerial statement on these two matters in Parliament next week.
#1 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 6:27 pm
Gani Patail does not take instruction from anybody but his boss who appoints him. He is not publicly accountable. His boss should be asked why there is so much delay.
The primary forum is Parliament. But since he is nowhere to be seen attending Parliament, that nobody dares to wake him up from his afternoon siesta and that Parliament has long since deteriorated into a circus with various government Ministers taking turns in being clowns, we have every right to use the media to get some answers.
#2 by Richard Teo on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 6:45 pm
The sleeping disease is infectious.It seems the A.G has also caught the sleeping bug and that explains why so many cases are still pending resolution.Either that or the A.G has no clue whats going on at the moment . He seems lost.
#3 by kurakura on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 10:54 pm
Sounds like an internal power struggle…..
#4 by smeagroo on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 11:59 pm
1 mth for Aca to investigate a big case is nothing but bull. Till today even a smaller fish like Istana Zakaria is still under the red carpet. ACA needs to buy a vacuum cleaner instead of just sweeping them under.
#5 by Bigjoe on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 8:20 am
The reason why the ACA don’t want to make an anouncement is 1) It wants to keep the option of coming after Johari should the PM wants it too. 2) So it does not get caught in a trap of being asked more questions about its own work.
The opposition should call for complete revelation of Johari’s file in the name of transparency to clear the air as Johari wants it.
#6 by DiaperHead on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 10:05 am
“Either that or the A.G has no clue whats going on at the moment . He seems lost.” Richard Teo
Oh yes, he is not totally clueless. He has no intention to join the labour market anytime soon. At his age, it could prove rather daunting.
#7 by pwcheng on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 5:24 pm
They will release it after the Ijok election, that is for sure. They are afraid of the repercussion, whether it is good or bad for them. Anyway from precedents, I think they will classify it as no case and business will be back as usual for them to commit more corruption.