BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) does not believe that there will be any overlapping issues with the Public Accounts Committee over their respective investigations into the alleged tampering of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) final audit report.
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull said he sees no problems with the two investigations as both have different scopes of authority.
“The PAC is conducting its investigation based on powers vested in them by Parliament, while the MACC is investigating based on our own powers,” he said.
Shukri however noted that of the two bodies, MACC has powers to prosecute.
“I personally feel that the issue is best left to the MACC to investigate as we have the power to prosecute wrong-doers in court.
“In fact, we have completed our investigation. We will just have to await the court’s decision.
“PAC, on the other hand, has no such powers (to prosecute),” he said.
Shukri believed that PAC’s findings would also be similar to that of the MACC.
“It is just that we are unsure what action can be taken,” he added.
Shukri also confirmed that the MACC will charge both former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former chief executive officer of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) Arul Kanda Kandasamy on Wednesday over the alleged tampering of the 1MDB final audit report.
“Both of them will be charged tomorrow,” he said.
MACC had arrested Najib on Monday to finalise its investigation and released on MACC bail on the same day.
Arul Kanda was arrested at 10.32 the next day when he came to provide his statement at the MACC’s Putrajaya headquarters.
On Nov 25, Auditor-General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad had claimed Najib had instructed for amendments to be made to the 1MDB final audit report, with the exclusion of several paragraphs in the report.
Among the information excluded from the report included the presence of fugitive entrepreneur Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in a 1MDB board meeting.