The Malaysian Insight

THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has not opened investigations into pilgrims’ fund Tabung Haji (TH), said chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull.

He said MACC is only studying the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit report on TH that was tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Among the key findings in the report was that TH had made two “suspicious transactions” to make its profits last year appear higher, in order to pay dividends to depositors. The fund had, instead, used depositors’ savings to pay the dividends.

“We conduct investigations based on reports in the Dewan Rakyat, the media and information from the people, if there are grounds to investigate.

“We will probe if the alleged offence is under the MACC Act, like corruption and abuse of power.

“But, we are not yet probing into TH based on that report. We are studying it. We can’t just immediately investigate. There has to be basis to do so,” he told reporters at the Bukit Mertajam train station today.

Asked whether the anti-graft agency is investigating Cameron Highlands MP C. Sivarraajh, who had allegedly given money to voters in the 14th general election, he said MACC is still gathering evidence.

Last month, the election court nullified Barisan Nasional’s victory in Cameron Highlands, following a petition filed by Pakatan Harapan candidate M. Manogaran.

Manogaran, of DAP, had claimed Sivarraajh and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail gave money to nine village heads to distribute to the Orang Asli community.

Shukri was in Penang today for a joint anti-corruption awareness campaign with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB), which has wrapped one of its trains with anti-graft messages.

The train serves the busy Butterworth-Padang Besar route used by some 15,000 commuters daily.

Shukri said the “low cost, big impact” campaign will effectively spread the anti-corruption message among the people.

He said MACC is keen to work with other transport service providers, and hopes others in the corporate sector will support its fight against corruption.

“We have taken action in high-profile cases. The message is clear: we have zero tolerance for corruption.

“Corruption is the mother of all crimes. It leads to crimes that can endanger, or even sell out, the country.

“We can arrest and charge offenders, but we cannot forget about education and awareness programmes,” he said earlier in his speech during the programme with KTMB. – December 11, 2018.