ACA to record PM, DPM statements over power abuse report

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) said today it will record statements from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak over a report that alleged abuse of power in the run-up to Umno party elections in December.

ACA director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan said the statements will be recorded soon from both, who are Umno president and deputy president respectively.

Veteran Selangor Umno leader Datuk Mazlan Harun lodged a report yesterday with the ACA against Abdullah and Najib, both of whom have agreed to a power transition deal set for June 2010.

"The report is based on a letter," Mazlan said, referring to the letter written by Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division head Kapt (R) Datuk Zahar Hashim which accused Abdullah and Najib of "political corruption of the highest order".

In the letter addressed to the Umno secretary-general, Zahar said the two top leaders had been campaigning to defend their positions despite asking others not to do the same. He also wrote that the top two leaders' actions were in violation of the guidelines issued by the party headquarters.

"This is to ensure that nobody will abuse their position and government machinery during the Umno elections. It is up to the ACA whether to take any action," said Mazlan.

"It is not only Umno members who want a fair election but also Malaysians and especially the Malay community want the same thing," he told reporters.

Mazlan, however, refused to say whether Abdullah's and Najib's names were mentioned in the report. "I can only say that my report is against the powers that be. Who are the most powerful people in this country?" he said.

He was also reluctant to reveal whether he was in possession of any evidence of corrupt practices in Umno. "It is up to ACA," he added.

-TMI