Thieves probing thieves...

Thieves probing thieves....

MACC, cops must come

clean on RM25m theft...

De facto law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s defence of the beleaguered Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki is contrary to rule of law, good governance, transparency, public integrity and accountability.

Azam has come under intense public pressure to go on leave to ensure that there is no interference in the MACC’s investigations following the arrest of three senior MACC officers for alleged abuse of power and malpractice over the loss of case items amounting to US$6 million (RM25 million) belonging to former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid.

This has triggered negative perception and public suspicion of interference at the highest levels when the MACC officers who were allegedly involved in the loss of case items were remanded 12 days ago and MACC only issued an official statement after the remand period ended.

This contrasts with the practice of MACC deliberately and quickly leaking to the media information of opposition politicians who had refused to support the government that they have been arrested or will be charged in court at a later date.

For this reason, Azam(above) must go on leave when he is seen as the stumbling block to an independent and lawful investigation without fear or favour and free from any interference. How can MACC be trusted to investigate itself over such criminal wrongdoings?

Further, this matter should be handled by the police when theft does not come under MACC’s jurisdiction but should be handled by the police. If this is so, then MACC has no right to investigate police corruption, which should be left to the police to investigate itself.

This US$6 million scandal has further entrenched and deepened the lack of public confidence in the integrity and credibility of MACC to conduct corruption investigations impartially, free from interference.

This is highlighted by MACC’s dismal record of repeated failures to act against alleged corruption by politicians who support the government, whilst being a willing participant to be weaponised as a tool to persecute opposition politicians.

While we await Wan Junaidi’s discussion with the prime minister on the status of Azam as MACC chief, both MACC and the police must come clean on the loss of corruption case items involving US$6 million in cash. - LGE,mk

Celebrity transwoman Nur Sajat

seeking asylum in Australia...

The eight-month manhunt for Malaysian cosmetics entrepreneur Nur Sajat Kamaruzzaman has come to a close. The 36-year-old was detained by Thai immigration authorities at her condominium apartment on Sep. 8, according to Harian Metro, months after Malaysian authorities accusing her of cross-dressing at an Islamic school three years ago launched the manhunt. Sajat was reportedly charged for immigration-related offenses in Thailand and subsequently posted US$2,000 bail.

She has registered with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, or UNHCR, after her passport was “cancelled,” and was seeking asylum in Australia, the report said. She has been ordered to appear at the Thai immigration office every two weeks, it added. Neither the UNHCR nor Australia’s Human Rights Commission responded to queries at publication time. Sajat’s personal social media accounts were not publicly available.

Maj. Gen. Achayon Krathong, spokesman of the Immigration Police in Thailand, seemed clueless about Sajat’s case when Coconuts called for comment today, saying that he has to check with his team about the reports. Sajat reportedly told Thai authorities that she had been receiving death threats after announcing her intention to leave Islam. She also mentioned being hunted down by 122 officers from the Islamic religious authority in Selangor.

Malaysian authorities are working with the Thai government to extradite Sajat over charges she offended Islam by wearing a pink dress to a religious school in 2018, the local media outlet said. With international organizations now involved, the process might not be as straightforward. Hundreds are rallying support for Sajat and praying for her safety since word of her arrest got out.

“May Sajat be safe wherever she goes,” Twitter user Justalhafiz said. - Coconuts KL