Latest news with #Dzulkifli
Daily Express
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Ex-MACC chief will be an asset for Umno, says Puad
Published on: Monday, June 16, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 16, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: It was reported on Saturday that Dzulkifli Ahmad had officially joined Umno, through the Merbau Kudong branch under the Tasek Gelugor division. (File pic) PETALING JAYA: An Umno leader says former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad could be an asset to the party, particularly by providing checks and balances. Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said Dzulkifli joined the party through the regular process, without involving top-level negotiations. Advertisement 'He dealt with the branch and division chiefs directly (with respect to his application to join Umno). He's starting from the bottom, not using Umno as a transit. 'There was no red carpet and no promise of any positions. No big fuss,' he said in a Facebook post. Puad previously said that one of Umno's biggest mistakes was 'spoiling' Tengku Zafrul Aziz by giving him the red-carpet treatment. His comment followed Tengku Zafrul's decision to quit as an Umno member, and his plans to join PKR instead. Puad said Umno was happy to have Dzulkifli join the party, describing him as an asset who could help the party with issues of legislation, anti-corruption, and transparency. It was reported on Saturday that Dzulkifli had officially joined Umno, through the Merbau Kudong branch under the Tasek Gelugor division. Dzulkifli said he was joining as an ordinary member and that he had chosen Umno because of its past dominance. He also said he hoped to bring 'a new breath of life' to the Malay-based party. Speculation was rife that Dzulkifli would contest the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat during the 15th general election in 2022, but the rumours never materialised. He was appointed MACC chief on Aug 1, 2016 and resigned in May 2018 after Pakatan Harapan formed the government following its victory in the 14th general election. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Ex-MACC chief Dzulkifli Ahmad joins Umno
Published on: Saturday, June 14, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 14, 2025 Text Size: BUTTERWORTH: Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has officially joined Umno, submitting his membership form in a brief ceremony in Sungai Dua today. The Penang native said he took his time before entering politics, wanting to assess things carefully. Advertisement 'I feel the time is right. What matters most to me is continuing to serve the people of Tasek Gelugor, regardless of race or religion,' Harian Metro reported. Dzulkifli, now an ordinary member with no formal pact with party leaders or voters, said he chose Umno to help revive the once-dominant Malay party and offer it a fresh start. He had previously hinted at joining politics during the 15th General Election in 2022, with speculation he would contest in Tasek Gelugor although it never materialised. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Ex-MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad joins Umno
BUTTERWORTH: Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has joined Umno, reports said. According to Utusan Malaysia, Dzulkifli submitted his membership form to Merbau Kudong Umno branch chief Mohd Ramli Daud during a ceremony in Sungai Dua last night. "I believe the time is right for me to get involved in a political party. I've officially become an Umno member. "I will continue my efforts to help the people of Tasek Gelugor, just as I have done before through my own initiative and office (Tan Sri Dzulkifli's Office or TSDZ). "What matters most is continuing to serve the community here, regardless of race or religion," he was quoted as saying. He said he chose Umno because of its historical significance and expressed hope of bringing a fresh perspective to the party. "Umno needs to return as a unifying force for the Malay community and Malaysians as a whole," he said. Dzulkifli had previously hinted at entering politics during the 15th General Election in 2022 and was widely speculated to contest the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat. However, those rumours did not materialise.
New Straits Times
08-06-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Former MACC chief urges reform on travel restrictions
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has called for institutional reforms to ensure that any authority enforcing movement restrictions on individuals operates under legal oversight, with full accountability and transparency. He said such reforms are essential to uphold justice for all individuals and to preserve the rule of law. Dzulkifli said the practice of imposing movement restrictions without due process or transparency must be stopped. "This is not merely a personal inconvenience. "It clearly violates Article 9(2) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to move freely within Malaysia and to leave the country. "Restrictions imposed without due process or transparency are unethical, unlawful, and unconstitutional. "This practice must end," he said in a statement today. He was commenting on the recent incident involving activist and graphic artist Fahmi Reza, who claimed he was barred from leaving the country after being blacklisted from entering Sabah. Dzulkifli also shared his personal experience of facing travel restrictions imposed by the anti-graft body in 2018. "What happened to Fahmi Reza is, unfortunately, nothing new. Many others have gone through the same thing, including myself. "After the 2018 general election, when there was a change in government and I had retired from public service, I was barred from leaving the country. My applications to perform umrah were rejected twice. "I was shocked, and a check with the Immigration Department revealed that the restriction was requested by the MACC, an agency I once led as chief commissioner. "The travel ban was only lifted during the administration of the country's ninth prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob), after I personally requested the MACC to review the matter," he claimed. Yesterday, Fahmi claimed he was prevented from leaving the country after immigration officers at KLIA informed him that he had been blacklisted. Earlier today, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said in a statement that no official travel restriction had been imposed on Fahmi, whose full name is Mohd Fahmi Reza Mohd Zarin. Razarudin, however, said Fahmi's name was placed on a movement monitoring list for internal police reference, as investigations involving him are still ongoing.
New Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Former MACC chief questions legality of second seizure of Ilham Tower
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has questioned the legality of the second seizure of Ilham Tower, suggesting the move may exceed the bounds of Malaysian law. Now a practising lawyer, Dzulkifli pointed out that the asset had already been seized under Section 38(1) of the MACC Act on Dec 18, 2023. He said action under Section 38 requires the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) to be satisfied that the asset in question - Ilham Tower - either constitutes the proceeds of, or is evidence related to, a corruption offence. "If no charges are brought or civil forfeiture proceedings initiated before June 17, 2025 - the end of the statutory 18-month period - it raises a fundamental question as to whether the original seizure was justified," he said in a statement today. Dzulkifli, the MACC's third chief commissioner, added that although the MACC Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) operate under different legal frameworks, two overlapping seizure orders on the same property may be seen as an overreach of authority. "This is because legal powers must be exercised based on necessity, fairness, and proportionality," he said. It was reported yesterday that Ilham Tower, located on Jalan Binjai, had once again been seized by MACC. The commission said it had obtained approval from the DPP to seize the building, which is linked to the late former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin. According to the agency, the latest seizure was carried out via an Immovable Property Seizure Notice dated June 4, 2025, under Section 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). Dzulkifli said enforcement actions must be grounded in clear legal thresholds, not procedural convenience. "If AMLA is invoked merely to maintain control of the asset as the earlier MACC order nears expiry, it may undermine the rule of law and call into question the legitimacy of the original seizure," he said. He also noted that the absence of further action by June 18 would suggest that Ilham Tower was never genuinely linked to a corruption offence under the MACC Act. "This raises a critical question: why is there now a need for a new seizure order under Section 51 of AMLA? What new evidence, if any, justifies this action?" he asked. He added that the Ilham Tower case presents a significant test of how far enforcement and prosecutorial powers may be exercised within the law. "With the June 17 deadline approaching, all eyes are on the DPP's next move. Will there be a charge? Forfeiture? Or will the order lapse - signalling that the asset was wrongly targeted from the outset?" he said.
