KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) cannot launch investigation on politicians who jump ship as it is not against the law.
Its Chief Commissioner, Datuk Seri Azam Baki said, no provision under the law forbids party hopping among politicians and there is no specific anti-party hopping law.
He further explained that the MACC had earlier investigated cases on raking support involving cash payment.
“Anyone can change party. That is their freedom and right. There is no law that forbids anyone from going to other parties.
“The anti-party hopping law has yet to be made. That is why I don’t want to comment much as this is not an offence.
“Some of them quit the party and became independent members. That is not a crime under the law of our country.
“This is all that I can comment. If we are to investigate, most of them… for example, were involved in raking support and cash payment… and we investigate them under the EC Act (Election Commission). The Natrah case (MP of Sekijang), we have investigated and there was no RM10 million payment as mentioned by many people,” he told a news conference today after he was asked to comment on the recommendation of former Inspector-General of Police, Abdul Hamid Bador who urged the MACC to investigate the allegations on corruption for party hopping.
Abdul Hamid said, although the police fights corruption within the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), however, money politics happen everywhere else.
“I fight corruption in my team but I see corruption happening everywhere in politics. Drunk in power, buying other people and threatening others (who refused to be bought). That is corruption,” he said during his final news conference at the Bukit Aman Police Headquarters last Friday. –MalaysiaGazette
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