Today, the international press reported that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigator conducting criminal investigation into 1MDB-linked funds is encountering problems as several possible witnesses are too scared to speak out.
US media network Bloomberg reported that some people in “certain foreign countries” already assisting the criminal probe, are concerned for their safety, while others say it’s too dangerous to co-operate, FBI said in a Federal Court filing in Los Angeles yesterday.
The report said FBI has requested to keep the names of its informants secret from the alleged masterminds of the 1MDB conspiracy.
Individuals who were otherwise willing to provide information said they were worried about putting “the safety and security of both themselves and their families at serious risk,” FBI said in its filing.
FBI also cited Malaysian news reports, where local officials arrested due to their role in probing the 1MDB embezzlement and the driver of former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, who was shot at his house in Ampang Perdana late last month.
This latest development in the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal, which had made Malaysia into a global kleptocracy, should be the first item of concern of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which wants to established itself as a world-class anti-corruption body.
But apparently not, as its first concern was how to “fix” Penang DAP Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng.
The first thing on MACC’s mind after the four-day holidays was not 1MDB scandal or Malaysia as a global kleptocracy, but Lim Guan Eng, announcing that it will initiate legal action against Guan Eng over his refusal to apologise for describing the detention of state exco Phee Boon Poh as “illegal.”
PKR Vice President and MP for Padang Serai, N. Surendran has said that MACC has no legal grounds to take action against Guan Eng over his criticism of the MACC, as it was well within the protection of free speech guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.
Be that as it may, this episode highlights the misplaced sense of priorities of the MACC, and that it is time that MACC Chief Commissioner, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad should grow up.
Surely there must be someone in the MACC leadership who could rectify the MACC’s misplaced sense of priorities, and focus instead on the 1MDB scandal and Malaysia’s infamy as a global kleptocracy as a result of the 1MDB scandal, and what the MACC could do about it? I do not believe that the founding fathers of the nation, like Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman and his deputy, Tun Razak, had ever expected Malaysia to fall so low as to be regarded worldwide as a global kleptocarcy.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak seems to have sub-contracted the task of fighting corruption to the new MACC Chief Commissioner provided the MACC respects the “no trespass” boundaries in its anti-corruption campaign – not to touch the Prime Minister and the top government leaders or the subject of the 1MDB scandal which has resulted in Malaysia getting the international infamy and ignominy of a global kleptocracy.
Can Dzulkifli confirm this mandate from the Prime Minister or explain why the MACC is taking a hands-off attitude to the 1MDB scandal and the issue of Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy?
The UMNO Information Chief and former Cabinet Minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa has said that Bank Negara’s forex loses a quarter of a century ago were real while 1MDB losses are only on paper.
Does Dzulkifli agree with Annuar and is this the reason why MACC has refused to re-open investigations into the 1MDB scandal or do anything to clear or cleanse Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy?