Latheefa declined to disclose the number of high-profile cases that had been closed or left as cold files as it could jeopardise investigations. Bernama Photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will reopen and resume investigations into more than 10 cold and closed corruption cases, including high-profile ones, said Chief Commissioner Latheefa Koya today.
She said a high number of investigations had been closed after it was deemed that there was “no case”.
“Why has it been closed when people keep telling me there is a case, so I have to deal with this.
“I do need to go back to those files and see if they were properly closed,” she told reporters after attending a forum titled ‘Unmasking the Corrupt Through Beneficial Ownership Transparency’ here.
Latheefa, however, declined to disclose the number of high-profile cases that had been closed or left as cold files as it could jeopardise investigations.
“These cases have public interest. They cannot be shared as it won’t help investigations,” she said, adding that she was in the midst of reviewing more of such cases.
“We (MACC) are doing this on our own as the (term of the) previous committee (tasked to review such cases) had expired, so until the new committee is formed we will be doing this first,” Latheefa said.
She also said that no time frame was set for the MACC to review those cases.
Yesterday, Latheefa after appearing as a guest in the ‘Women as Leaders’ programme on Bernama Radio said the MACC would reopen closed cases and files involving public interest early next year.
She said MACC had also received several complaints involving the cases.
On another issue, Latheefa said it was too early to comment on the increased income or assets value of the members of parliament (MPs) following their recent assets declaration to the MACC.
“We are yet to sit down and put together and compare (the latest data) with the previous data.
“We have (a) team to verify and will verify the income that has been declared. It is going to take some time because we are talking about 130 (of Pakatan Harapan) MPs,” she said.
Latheefa was asked to comment on the latest declaration of assets of MPs, specifically Pakatan Harapan, as some of them had recorded an increase in income and assets.
She also advised those who have information on any wrongdoing involving the said MPs to lodge reports with the commission.
“So far the MACC has yet to receive any complaint,” she added. – Bernama