KOTA KINABALU, March 11 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to turn up at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, March 13, to give his statement again as his medical leave expires tomorrow.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki told reporters here that they were expecting Ismail Sabri to come at about 10am Thursday to give his statement on the ongoing investigation.
“As far as I know as of now we have not gotten any information from the investigation officers or his doctor about his condition. So I assume he will be coming to get his statement recorded,” he said at an event to mark cooperation between MACC and the Kota Kinabalu City Hall here today.
“I don’t know I’m not a doctor but as far as I know his MC will end and he has to come to the office when it expires. If he does not, then we need to know what is his excuse. He was supposed to come last week but because he is still on medical leave so we did not want to disturb him as a doctor had verified his sickness,” he said.
It was reported that MACC recorded statements from 36 individuals in connection with corruption and money laundering cases linked to the 9th prime minister.
Additionally, 13 bank accounts estimated to be worth RM9.33mil have been frozen to aid the investigation.
“There have been allegations on social media that this was a political plot and that MACC had planted the money, — RM170 million — where the hell can I get all this money?,” he said.
Azam said that MACC investigates the cases fairly and by the rule of law.
“Even in high profile cases, we don’t side anybody,” he said.
In a separate case, Azam said that businessman cum “whistleblower” Albert Tei was also due to give his statement to MACC, tomorrow at 2pm following the latest development in his case involving videos taken of Sabahan political leaders allegedly involved in bribery.
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) co-founder Lateefa Koya today said they will surrender full, unedited videos to the MACC in a USB drive that implicates Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, eight assemblymen and the Sabah Assembly speaker.
Azam said that no arrests will be made while he guaranteed a fair and professional investigation.
He also defended MACC against allegations that the MACC did not investigate the case fully.
“I stand with my statement that I have made since last year — we need solid and authentic proof. We are investigating the case guided by the law and the public prosecutor will make the decision — not us or public perception.
“We never closed the case. I ask the people to be patient. I also want to solve it but we have to follow the law,” he said.
Azam said that Koya, a former MACC chief commissioner, had already met with MACC at the current time and was giving her statement to them.
“If the eight videos published were all were edited, this cannot be used as proof as accredited by our forensic labs. So we will revise the new video and audios given to us and go from there. If it is authentic then it is viable and we will pursue the case again according to the evidence,” he said.