MACC to question ex-PM - Azam Baki

SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that a former prime minister will be called for questioning.

This was to facilitate investigations into the RM700 million spent for publicity purposes under two previous federal administrations.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said action will be taken to haul them up for questioning this week or next at the latest.

He said the move will be aimed at finding out how the money was spent for purposes of promotion and publicity of the government’s achievements in the period between 2020 and 2022.

“On how many of them will be called (for questioning), let MACC deal with it,” he told reporters.

When asked whether it was the ninth prime minister who would be called in, Azam said that the MACC would summon a “former prime minister and his former aides”.

Last week, MACC launched investigations into RM700 million allegedly used for promotional and publicity purposes to showcase the government’s achievements during the two previous administrations from 2020 to 2022.

Azam added that MACC wanted to find out how the money was spent.

He also explained that it was MACC’s responsibility to perform investigations when an issue arose that demanded a proper probe to be done.

Quoting a source, Bernama had reported on Jan 2 that the MACC went to the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister’s Department that day to start investigations and to gather information as well as documents related to the allegations.

The source said that the investigations were based on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s response to a question from Batu MP P. Prabakaran, who was seeking an explanation on how much was spent by the government for promotional activities since 2020.

“The expenditure included promotional and publicity initiatives carried out to promote the achievements of the government through all media platforms including print, digital media and television from 2020 to 2022,” said the source.