Thursday, August 21, 2008

ACA DG: Arrest of Exco members not politically motivated - Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Aug 21, 2008

The arrest of the two Perak executive council members by the Perak Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has nothing to do with politics, the agency’s Director-General Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan said Thursday.

He said he was disappointed with allegations by certain quarters who accused the agency of deliberately detaining the two men when there was by-election fever in the country. “I am disappointed when the ACA is accused of conspiracy, scheming with the ruling party, that is not true. This is a criminal case. We have nabbed many people ... Director-General of Immigration and senior police officers.

“Just because of the election (it does not mean) we put aside the case till later. The proof is there so we arrest them,” he told reporters after attending a forum titled ‘Independent Anti-Corruption Commission: Towards Effectively Combating Corruption and Enhancing Integrity’ at the Integrity Institute of Malaysia here Thursday.

Ahmad Said said the ACA conducted investigations on both the Exco members for more than three months and it was a coincidence that the arrests were made close to the by-election.

“It must be remembered that the ACA acts transparently without the involvement of political elements. Do not demean the ACA,” he said.

The ACA arrested the Perak exco members together with four other persons on suspicion of alleged graft and sexual bribery involving more than RM100,000. They are being investigated under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 in connection with a RM180 million Seri Iskandar housing project. – Bernama

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