Relief for affected companies

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Anti-corruption body allowing partial withdrawal of funds from frozen accounts for operations costs

KUCHING: Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has partially freed some accounts frozen in its recent blitz against illegal logging and corruption under Ops Gergaji (in Sarawak) and Ops BS (in Sabah).

MACC deputy commissioner (operation) Dato Sri Mohd Shukri Abdul, in a statement yesterday, said since May 18, 2015, the commission had received petitions from some affected account holders and accepted their appeals to free part of their funds for operation costs, including paying of salaries.

However, he could not state the total number of accounts partially unfrozen as MACC was still considering more appeals and would only be able to release the exact figure in the next few days.

The deputy commissioner added that Sarawak MACC and Sabah MACC had been engaging with associations representing the timber industry to explain the freezing of the accounts and the steps that the associations’ members could take to unfreeze them.

He disclosed that the account holders must go to the MACC office in the two states or the headquarters in Putrajaya to justify their requests.

“However, the complete unfreezing of accounts will depend on the final outcome of investigations.”

On the recent statement of Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen and Likas assemblyman Junz Wong, which claimed that MACC had abused its power in the two operations by freezing the bank accounts, Mohd Shukri said MACC was a professional body and all actions taken were in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“MACC refutes the allegations that the freezing of the accounts were made without a solid foundation. It had carried out surveillance for six months before the integrated operation was launched. Accounts were only frozen following the collection of intelligence and in-depth investigations.”

He said Ops Gergaji, which was an integrated operation involving various agencies including the Inland Revenue Board, the State Forest Department and the police, was to combat corruption and illegal logging as well as tax evasion of owners of logging companies in Sarawak.

Further probe still on-going — MACC

In Sabah, the integrated operations codenamed Ops BS were carried out to combat corruption, smuggling of illegal cigarettes and alcoholic beverages as well as abuse of subsidised fuel.

“Further investigation is still on-going under section 17 (a) and 17 (b) of the MACC Act 2009 and section 4 (1) of Anti Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities 2001.

“As I have explained last May 15, the accounts will be unfrozen if there was justification for the release of the accounts. This is the normal practice of MACC and also any other enforcement agencies that are conducting investigation under Anti Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities 2001.”

Mohd Shukri stressed that the commission was ever ready to listen to public opinions and take into consideration the humanitarian aspect, what with the Gawai celebrations being around the corner in Sarawak.

“We also take into account the economic development of Sarawak and Sabah when looking into the case.”

In Sarawak, 519 company or individual accounts involving as much as RM700 million were frozen.

Under Ops BS, 1,623 bank accounts worth RM560 million were frozen and more than RM1 million in jewelry seized.