KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday denied that it had declared the Sabah State Water Department (JANS) case to be free from any elements of corruption, as was spread on social media since Saturday.
According to the MACC, the news spread by irresponsible parties was untrue and misleading.
In this regard, the MACC said it would monitor and review all unauthorised news uploaded on social media to safeguard its reputation.
“The MACC’s top management is considering filing a police report against those who spread slander on social media so that
legal action can be taken against them,” it said in a statement yesterday.
Regarding the JANS case, the MACC said that on Dec 29, 2016, three individuals had been charged at the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court with laundering RM61.48 million and owning luxury goods from illegal activities, and that the case was fixed for mention this Aug 8.
The three accused are former JANS director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, his wife Fauziah Ag Piut and Sabah Ministry of Finance’s technical and engineering adviser Lim Lam Beng.
Ag Mohd Tahir was charged with 12 counts under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing (AMLATFA) Act 2001 and Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (AMLATFPUAA) Act 2001.
Fauziah and Lim were each charged with 19 counts involving
RM2.2 million and four counts involving RM2.38 million under Section 4 (1) (b) AMLATFPUAA 2001.
“The MACC wishes to stress that offences under AMLATFPUAA 2001 involves proceeds of illegal activities by the perpetrators under the MACC Act 2009,” said the statement.
The MACC said according to the section, a person could be jailed for a maximum of 15 years and a faced a fine not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds from illegal activities or equipment, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The MACC yesterday lodged a police report over an allegation that it had issued a statement claiming that no element of corruption was found in the Sabah State Water Department scandal.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said the police report was made at the Putrajaya police headquarters at around 10am.
Azam said the MACC is urging the police to investigate the case so that those involved in spreading the false information are subjected to legal action.
“The MACC is taking the matter seriously, as the spread of false information and news may not just confuse the public, but also affect court proceedings,” he said.
An online portal’s fake report, entitled “SPRM sahkan skandal Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah tiada unsur rasuah” (MACC confirms no element of corruption in the JANS case), made its rounds on social media recently.