MALACCA: No action will be taken against special officer to the Malacca Historical City Council (MBMB) mayor Datuk Zainal Hussin until sufficient evidence and information is presented by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to the mayor.
Zainal said he was still waiting for reports from the MACC before deciding on the next course of action.
“I had written to the MACC earlier this month, asking them to furnish me with information on the case involving my special officer,” said Zainal, when met at his office at MBMB Graha Makmur in Ayer Keroh here, today.
“At this moment, I cannot decide what to do next because I do not have evidence or knowledge on the case, or if the case is even related to MBMB. I need a clearer picture,” he added.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron reportedly said that it was up to the mayor to decide on his special officer’s suspension.
“This, you should ask the mayor. But the rule of law is that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
“We fear that a person may be wrongfully punished when he is not found guilty yet. I leave this to the mayor to decide, but I think it’s best to allow the investigations to go on,” Idris was reported as saying.
Zainal said he needed a detailed report on the graft allegations involving the special officer before taking any disciplinary action.
He declined to comment further, merely stating that he would take action according to the state’s regulations should his officer is charged in court.
The special officer, a ‘Datuk’, who was arrested by MACC on Nov 28, was remanded by the MACC on Nov 29.
It was learnt that several bank accounts belonging to the ‘Datuk’ and his family members, said to contain RM11 million, were frozen.
His remand period ended on Dec 2 and the special officer soon resumed duties at MBMB and held a press conference on Dec 29.
However, Zainal said he has not turned up for work since then.
Meanwhile, deputy state secretary Maslina Baki declined to comment but had said all civil servants involved in graft will have action taken against them under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.