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(The Sun) - The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)'s investigation into a former director-general of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) took three years and was completed in 2001 but the Attorney-General (A-G) closed the case due to "inconsistent witness statements and lack of supporting statements".
ACA investigation director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull told a press conference today the ACA had submitted its investigation papers to the A-G, and that it was not true it closed the case before it was completed. “The A-G found there were inconsistent statements from witnesses and lack of supporting statements. Therefore, the A-G was of the opinion that investigation must stop and the case closed,” he said in the ACA headquarters. As for the alleged interference by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with the ACA investigation, as claimed by former United Nations Special Rapporteur Datuk Param Cumaraswamy who referred to court records, Mohd Shukri said ACA understands that it was under police investigation as a report was made to the police. He said any questions should be posed to the police, in particular the Inspector-General of Police. IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan, when contacted by phone today, refused to comment. The EPU officer's case was "resurrected" last Wednesday (April 2) when Param, in a letter to theSun, quoted this alleged misdeed of Mahathir which needed investigation. He was taking up Mahathir's earlier offer to be subjected to investigation by foreign agencies for any misdeed by him during his 22-year premiership. Param had referred to ACA former director-general Datuk Shafee Yahya's court testimony in the June 2000 trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in which he was asked about an ACA probe on the then director-general of the EPU. The court records showed that Shafee was asked whether a big sum of money was found in the drawer of the director-general. Shafee later said the prime minister (then Mahathir) asked him to close the case. Mahathir, in a letter to theSun published today, claimed Shafee was the one who shouted at him and accused him of interfering in the agency's investigation when he asked whether he intended to pursue the probe. Mohd Shukri said following this disclosure (by Param), ACA took the initiative to call Shafee for information on what actually happened. “Shafee told us he was called by the police in 2000 and they had recorded his statement. The ACA also contacted the police to check on this matter,” he said. Asked what was ACA’s finding on the case against the former EPU director-general, he said he could not give details as it was not during his time. Mohd Shukri, however, who became investigation director in 2006, said the A-G did not necessarily have to follow recommendations or suggestions made by the ACA in its report. Asked if there have been any reports or files opened against Mahathir, he said during his time, there was none. He also stressed that to his knowledge, since 1996 when he became state investigation director until now, there has never been any interference by the government or national leaders in any ACA investigation. “No one has ever told us to stop half-way. Never. In fact, the ACA does not have the power to investigate half-way. Once we have started investigation, we must complete our paper and submit it to the A-G. “The current leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has never done that too. Never at all has Pak Lah asked the ACA to do this or that, or told us not to do this or that. I’m telling you the truth. Never,” he said. Asked whether it is possible the ACA did not investigate the alleged interference by Mahathir because it would be prejudicial to its own interest as the agency is under the Prime Minister’s Department, he said "no". “The ACA does not interfere. It was a police case. It was their jurisdiction,” he said, adding there cannot be two separate investigations on a same case.
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The one who should be investigated is the AG himself. He has too many skeletons in his cupboard. He wields great influential power. Open a file for him.