MACC CAN'T BE TURNED INTO A GAME OF POLITICS AND SENTIMENTS, SAYS PM

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
(MACC) cannot be turned into a game of politics and sentiments by several
quarters who are trying to question its credibility, Prime Minister Najib Razak
said Tuesday.

Najib said members of the public should not point their fingers at MACC
based only on one case, that of the death of opposition Democratic Action Party
(DAP) political secretary Teoh Beng Hock.

"We can't quickly blame MACC. We can't turn MACC into a game of politics and
sentiments," Najib who is also Finance Minister said after chairing the National
Financial Council meeting at the Finance Ministry here.

He was commenting on attempts by several quarters to question the
credibility of MACC following Beng Hock's death and threats to kill senior
officers and the torching of its vehicle by molotov cocktails in Klang near here
last week.

Najib said the government was confident in MACC's capability as it was an
important body to fight corruption and ensure a smooth administration.

Beng Hock, 30, political secretary to a Selangor Exco member was found dead
in the corridor of level 5 of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16.

He was called in by MACC on July 15 to become a witness in an investigation
into alleged abuse of state funds.

The Selangor MACC office is situated on level 14 of the Plaza Masalam.

Najib said Beng Hock's death was not something which MACC wanted as it
raised the question of its credibility.

The government, he said, had started an inquest into Beng Hock's death and a
Royal Commission would be set up to study MACC's investigation procedures.

"If there is a question of civil liberty, the government will make
correcting measures. We are transparent. The government has no intention of
covering up facts," he said.

Commenting on the case of part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno who was
found guilty by the east coast city of Kuantan Syariah Court for consuming
liquor in public, Najib said Kartika Sari should appeal and not willingly accept
it.

He said the federal government could not question religious matters as they
were under the authority of the Syariah Court.

Kartika Sari, 32, had refused to appeal against sentence and was prepared to
undergo caning yesterday but it had since been deferred to after Ramadan.

On the proposed bridge linking Indonesia to peninsular Malaysia raised by
southern state of Melaka Chief Minister Ali Rustam, Najib said it was a private
sector initiative.

The federal government would study the matter if there was a proposal but
there was none.
-- BERNAMA