Corruption charges can only be brought with enough evidence, says PM

Free Malaysia Today

3 days ago

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said a proper probe must be carried out before the case is referred to prosecutors.
PETALING JAYA : Those suspected of engaging in corrupt practices can only be taken to court if there is sufficient evidence, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He also said that the prosecution of such cases must be done according to procedure, The Star reported.
'I don't want to be a prime minister who is like, 'oh, we must arrest' or 'oh, we must charge',' he said when officiating the Kaamatan celebration in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
'I am not a dictator who (orders) arrests immediately,' he said, adding that the fight against corruption must be waged at all levels.
Anwar also said that videos released 'in bits and pieces' could not be used to charge people, and that a proper probe must be carried out before the case is referred to prosecutors.
He said this when commenting on the videos leaked by a purported whistleblower implicating several assemblymen in an alleged mining scandal.
Anwar said some had asked why he did not intervene in the case, and implied that he had tried to cover up the alleged graft when the videos were first circulated.
'But when things grew hotter, of course I asked MACC about it,' he said, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Last week, MACC said it had completed a forensic report on the controversial videos linked to the alleged mining scandal in Sabah.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki however declined to comment on the videos' authenticity.
The alleged mining scandal was reported in 2024 after a series of videos linking several Sabah assemblymen to it were leaked.
The videos allegedly depicted discussions involving bribery and misconduct related to mineral exploration projects in the state.
In February, Azam said the initial batch of videos lacked credibility as they were heavily edited.