PETALING JAYA: A member of Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah’s family is set to be charged with a corruption offence in the Kuala Lumpur sessions court tomorrow, which the lawmaker claims is an act of reprisal for speaking out against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki.
Sivarasa was the first MP to raise the issue of Azam’s share ownership in Parliament, which has since led to various investigations amid a public outcry.
In a statement today, Sivarasa said Naveen K Rasiah, his nephew and his service centre manager, was summoned to the MACC’s office on Friday and told he would be charged with offences relating to events that occurred in 2017
“In August 2017, I had publicly raised with the immigration department the issue of how a Bangladeshi businessman was corruptly obtaining permits for Bangladeshi workers as cleaners and staff in hotels by using fabricated documents. I asked the immigration director-general to investigate and take action,” he said.
“On Sept 21, 2017, three of my service centre staff, Naveen, Joshua Kalaisevan and Nico Kam, were arrested by the MACC, remanded for four days and investigated for an alleged offence that they were trying to solicit money from this businessman in return for dropping the issue.”
He said that upon their release from remand, no charges were laid against the three.
“I am sure that if any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Naveen or the others had been found, the MACC would have charged them immediately.
“Now, a month after I raised the issue of Azam Baki’s ownership of shares in Parliament on Dec 14, 2021, an allegation which has no basis has suddenly been revived by the MACC to charge my staff member Naveen.
“This action by the MACC reeks of a personal vendetta intended to try to tarnish the image of my service centre.”
Sivarasa defended Naveen and called the allegations “false and completely illogical” as neither he nor the others questioned by the MACC in 2017 had any power to dictate what the immigration director-general could do to address the issue raised.
“This reprisal by the MACC will only serve to further damage its reputation as it will be seen being motivated by personal factors and ulterior motives.
“If the MACC thinks this will make me or my colleagues in Parliament back off on this issue, they are completely mistaken.”