Twentytwo13

PM: If Bersatu is clean, then explain RM300 million in accounts

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insists that his unity government had nothing to do with the probe against Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

After chairing the Cabinet meeting earlier today, the prime minister reiterated that law enforcement agencies and the judiciary in Malaysia were independent.

“It is unfair for leaders of political parties who are being investigated to make accusations that there is interference by the unity government,” Anwar told members of the press this afternoon.

“This is not oppression, or political persecution, as in the past. We are not using these enforcement agencies (to our own end).”

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) launched a probe into Bersatu, freezing the opposition party’s bank accounts. This comes ahead of several state elections that are expected to be held in the coming months.

It had been widely alleged that Bersatu had received contributions of over RM300 million from contractors who were awarded projects during the party’s brief run in Putrajaya.

Several Bersatu leaders had lambasted the anti-graft body’s move. Bersatu president and former prime minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said this morning said that his party would write to the MACC to unfreeze its accounts.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, singled out the two things that had transpired with regard to the episode.

“There’s a report lodged with the police and MACC regarding Bersatu’s funds. Also, at the Finance Ministry, I saw expensive projects that had been approved without going through the tender process.

“In the Jana Wibawa programme, carried out during the Movement Control Order, we found that the cost was very high,” said Anwar, referring to the programme that was created to empower Bumiputera contractors.

“What MACC did was not based on my views or findings. They did a detailed investigation that revealed Bersatu had over RM300 million in their accounts.

“If the (Bersatu) leaders are indeed clean, they should explain how, at such short notice, they got so much money, from where, and who gave it to them.”

He added that any party, including those within the government, was subjected to investigations.