KUALA LUMPUR (July 23): Sersol Bhd CEO Datuk Justin Lim Hwa Tat has denied receiving any notice from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), requiring his attendance for any statement recording.
In a statement on Saturday (July 22), Lim said there had been no attempts by the MACC to serve the notice at his place of work or residence.
“Furthermore, I have not been approached by any officers from MACC, seeking my assistance in relation to the investigations mentioned in the publication,” he said after the MACC sought the public's help to locate Lim to assist in an investigation.
In a statement on July 12, the MACC said that the 47-year-old Lim’s last known address was 54, Jalan SS 22/27 Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Lim sits on the board of several public listed companies.
He stressed that the statement by the MACC, which portrayed him as a wanted individual for criminal investigations, was wholly inaccurate and lacked any foundation.
“Such a publication could give the false impression that I am evading or avoiding cooperation with the authorities, which is certainly not the case.
“To set the record straight, I want to clarify that I have been away on business since early February 2023.
“Despite my absence, I have every intention of fully cooperating with the authorities in any matter where my assistance is required,” he said.
Lim added that he has appointed Messrs Gobind Singh Deo & Co to represent him as his legal representative during the course of these investigations.
Meanwhile, Sersol issued a misconduct notice to Lim and demanded that he return to the office within one week.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia last Friday (July 21), Sersol also instructed Lim, who has been "overseas since February 2023 for purpose and reason only known to him", to immediately give a written response to the board.
“[The board] instructed the CEO to update the entire board in writing on what he had been doing in detail for and on behalf of the company on a weekly basis. After the above, the company issued a misconduct notice dated July 20 to the CEO and [is] awaiting his response,” the chemical manufacturer said.