The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) called in four additional individuals to its headquarters in Putrajaya on Thursday (Jan 4) as part of the investigation into Tun Daim Zainuddin.
The lawyers representing the four, Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Sohanpal, stated that the four had been asked to have their statements recorded under Section 30 of the MACC Act.
“All four were cooperative and appeared promptly at MACC’s headquarters despite being given less than 24 hours’ notice,” they mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
However, the lawyers alleged that MACC had acted in an “oppressive and high-handed manner”.
They claimed that one of the lawyers was asked to leave the interview room by MACC officers while he was with his client.
“The MACC prevented us from representing and advising our clients. This is extraordinary and uncalled for,” they said.
The lawyers also urged MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki to provide a full explanation on the matter, as it involves public interest.
On June 9, 2023, MACC deputy director (Legal and Prosecution Division) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin had stated that the MACC Act 2009 did not specifically grant the right to legal representation when recording a statement.
“The MACC Act allows an accused person to have a legal practitioner present during an examination under oath, but it does not explicitly grant the right to legal representation during other forms of interrogation or questioning,” Wan Shaharuddin was reported as saying.
Prior to this, Daim had criticized the MACC for its investigations into him and his family, claiming it was “nothing short of a witch-hunt”.
The MACC indicated, in a statement on Dec 30, that the investigation into Daim was conducted based on existing law and information from the Pandora Papers.
