ACA: Mahathir's case is with police

Apr 8, 08 4:32pm
The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) today revealed that the probe on the alleged abuse of power involving then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not involve the agency.

In a rare press conference in Putrajaya today, ACA director of investigation Mohd Shukri Abdul said that the case is with the “police”.

Last week, former UN special rapporteur Param Cumaraswamy there was “sufficient evidence” to show that Mahathir had interfered with the ACA based on testimony during Anwar Ibrahim’s corruption trial eight years ago.

During Anwar’s second trial in June 2000 before Justice Arifin Jaka, then ACA director Shafee Yahya had given sworn testimony that Mahathir had ordered him to halt an investigation on then Economic Planning Unit (EPU) director-general Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman.

According to Param, reports alleging that Mahathir had interfered with ACA investigations were filed the day after the court testimony - on June 13, 2000.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shukri said that the agency’s investigation against Ali, which began in 1998, was completed three years later.

According Mohd Shukri, the investigation papers were sent to the attorney-general for further action.

However, he said that the AG decided to close the case due to a number of inconsistencies among the witnesses interviewed by the ACA.