KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 4): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday summoned four individuals in relation to its investigations involving former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.
However, lawyers representing the individuals have criticised the anti-graft body's alleged "high-handed" manner in handling investigations.
Lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Sohanpal claimed that their clients were denied legal representation during interrogations on Thursday at the MACC's headquarters, despite cooperating with the graft busters.
"In particular, one of the lawyers representing the individual was with the client in the interview room when suddenly MACC officers rushed in and forced the lawyers to leave," they said in a statement to the media.
When asked, the MACC officers allegedly claimed that it was upon orders from "someone high up".
"The conduct of the MACC was extraordinary and uncalled for. The right to legal representation when questioned by enforcement bodies is fundamental to our criminal justice system.
"The right to legal representation is sacrosanct and it is completely unacceptable for a person to be denied the right to consult his lawyer. The MACC is acting in an abhorrent manner," the lawyers said in a brief statement.
They added that MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki has to bear responsibility for the denial to have counsels present.
"We urge that he give a full explanation for doing so, as this involves public interest and the integrity of the criminal justice system," they added.
It is believed that the four are staff at Ilham Tower, the 60-storey building said to be owned by Daim, which was seized by the graft busters on Dec 21.
Azam had reportedly revealed that the agency was probing Daim for alleged corruption and money laundering. He was also reported to have said that the seizure was “normal” and meant to prevent the building from being sold while investigations were ongoing.
Daim, in turn, has denied wrongdoing, calling the investigations "nothing short of a political witch-hunt" against him and his family.
The MACC later released a statement saying that it had opened an investigation paper in February 2023 based on information from the Pandora Papers.
The moniker refers to a massive leak of millions of documents in 2021 exposing hidden wealth and tax avoidance of past and present leaders across the globe.