NO EVIDENCE OF PKR ELECTION CANDIDATE INVOLVEMENT IN BRIBERY - SOURCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- An investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into a candidate who contested in May’s PKR elections found no evidence that the individual received bribes from any contractor or other party.

An MACC source said the investigation found that all funds used by the individual to purchase assets came from personal savings, business proceeds and company sales.

“Asset review found that the person owns several medium-cost houses and several vehicles, all bought through legitimate bank loans. Claims that the individual owns an ‘extravagant’ house in Port Dickson are inaccurate.

“The house was an asset of the local authority that went through the standard disposal process, and the purchase was made at RM55,000,” according to the source when contacted here today.

Several other council members were also reported to have purchased houses at the same rate, and checks found that they followed proper procedures.

The individual had also run several businesses before entering politics, which have since been sold.

However, the source said the registration was not transferred to the new owner at the Companies Commission of Malaysia, necessitating an explanation to the Inland Revenue Board regarding the sales proceeds, clarifying that the individual had cooperated with the MACC during the investigation.

The individual was previously called in to give a statement over allegations of bribery while serving as a council member at a local authority in the Klang Valley.

Yesterday, MACC denied allegations that it was used to investigate contestants in the PKR elections last May, as former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli claimed in a recent podcast.

According to the commission, every complaint with merit undergoes verification and investigation in accordance with the law and established procedures.

-- BERNAMA