According to anti-corruption activist Cynthia Gabriel, Dzulkifli’s job is to promote integrity and the alleged “affair” contravenes the MACC Act Section 2 that speaks about promoting integrity.
“The MACC chief may have fanned his own flames here. At the outset, it looks like the ‘affair’ and graft-busting are indeed two separate matters and does not relate to his work.
“But his waving around integrity pledges puts him between a rock and a hard place.
“”Integrity is across the board, which mean leaders with integrity should hold good values, which is where he is caught,” said the founder of the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).
Cynthia said Dzulkifli just has to come clean about the allegations against him.
” He has to tell the truth as that is part of showing integrity when you own up to something.
“If it is not him, he should just come out with a denial. If it is him, he has to tell the truth. This is part of promoting integrity and Section 2 of the MACC Act requires him to do so.”
Cynthia added that while Dzulkifli goes around waving the integrity pledge with all the political parties and people in power, he should also set an example to “practise what you preach”.
She said public officials are subject to scrutiny, much higher than anyone else.
“The MACC chief knows this better than anyone else. So while his so-called affair is personal, we believe the name of MACC should not be dragged down because of this.”
It had been previously reported that a closed-circuit television camera video has emerged allegedly showing Dzulkifli and a married woman holding hands and going into a restaurant in Bali sometime in July this year.
Another video clip shows flight tickets, hotel registration papers and other footages of the couple and luggage being moved out of a hotel.
Dzulkifli had hit out at the alleged scandal, saying it was “dirty and disgusting attacks” by people whom he did not identify.
The woman and her husband had reportedly divorced last month.
Civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan said he does not think the alleged affair would impact Dzulkifli’s work as MACC chief.
“Personally, I do not think that the extramarital affair, even if true, would have an impact on his work.
“So, I think while it’s something people will condemn, if true, I do not think it should mean that he should step down from his job.
“As long as it does not affect his work, I do not think we should interfere in his personal affairs.”
He said Dzulkifli’s work could be affected if in fact he was being blackmailed.
“Someone with something to hide can be compromised if he is blackmailed.
“In that sense, of course his work will be affected. But since this is already allegedly out in the open, ironically there is less of a chance now.”
Gobind wants police update on alleged Bali affair investigations