KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has teams scouring the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Department for documents linked to the previous administration's spending for the "Keluarga Malaysia" promotion campaign.
Sources told the New Straits Times that the graftbuster has sent two teams — one to the ministry and the other to the department — to study and pool all the related documents regarding the campaign.
"As of now, no arrest will be made, but there may be once the investigation has concluded," one source said.
It has been reported that MACC is probing allegations of excessive amounts of funds being spent on the promotion of campaigns in previous administrations following public outcry and reports lodged.
Most recently, on Dec 30, Umno communications director Datuk Lokman Noor Adam also lodged a police report over alleged misuse of funds by two federal administrations amounting to RM700 million for publicity campaigns and advertising from 2020 to 2022.
On Monday, it was reported that MACC was set to summon a former prime minister and two aides as part of its investigation into three separate cases involving alleged misappropriation of funds.
The aides were associated with two different former prime ministers.
The investigations will delve into the wealth supposedly amassed by the wife and children of one of the former leaders, a petroleum company's activities, and expenditures related to advertising.
Prior to that, it was also reported that a member of parliament from an east coast state and his aide were also expected to be summoned to assist in an investigation under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla) and the MACC Act 2009.
The report suggested that one of these individuals had purportedly awarded public-funded projects during his tenure.
These inquiries follow the MACC's ongoing investigation into former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.
Daim is facing allegations of corruption and money laundering, with the 60-storey Ilham Tower in Kuala Lumpur, reportedly linked to him and his family, seized in connection with the probe.
Daim vehemently denies any wrongdoing or corruption and has criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the MACC, characterising their actions as a "witch-hunt" against him and his family.