KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh’s family lawyer said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation timeline raises more questions than answers, chief of which was why no action was taken when she failed to show up while under bail.

Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo said the MACC failed to explain its inaction when a clear breach would usually lead to an arrest warrant.

She questioned in a statement on Thursday whether a warrant was ever issued, and if not, why.

Sangeet was responding to MACC’s update on its probe into Pamela Ling and her husband, Datuk Seri Hah Tiing Siu, where the agency said it followed all legal procedures and obtained the required court orders.

“There are express powers under the MACC Act to secure the attendance of individuals who disobey such directions. Did the MACC invoke these provisions?

“The agency never hesitated before to obtain warrants for her arrest in the past. Did it act with similar vigour this time?

“If not, the failure of MACC to take the usual and expected steps in the face of a clear breach of bail conditions must be explained. If it did not, was MACC indifferent to her sudden disappearance — or worse, not surprised by it?” she quizzed.

Sangeet also pointed out that MACC did not reveal how many times Ling was called in or questioned between her release on bail in January and her disappearance on April 9.

The lawyer emphasised that Ling had given statements to MACC at least nine times, questioning the need for repeated statements and her status in the investigation — whether she was a witness or a suspect.

“So far, it is clear that in all statements issued by the MACC, there is no indication of any substantial steps taken in regard to her sudden disappearance,” she added.

In response to the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) update on Thursday, Sangeet pointed out that no new information was shared, only suggestions. PDRM proposed two possibilities: that Ling is still alive and that her disappearance may have been staged.

While her family, especially her teenage children, welcomed the idea that she is still alive, Sangeet questioned the basis for this claim, which was not explained in the update. Regarding the suggestion of a staged disappearance, she warned that it could become a distraction if there is no strong reason to pursue it.

“The suggestion that she may have staged her own disappearance, is this drawn from the claim that Pamela ‘entered the vehicle without struggle’? If this is the story being pursued, it is hoped that there are compelling reasons for advancing it.

“Otherwise, it risks being nothing more than a distraction from a clear lack of progress in investigations — if Pamela was approached by individuals, she believed to be police officers, her compliance is not only understandable, it is entirely expected,” the lawyer said.

She said the family supports a thorough investigation but feels there’s more deflection than progress. A month has passed with no answers or urgency, and they only receive media reports, leading them to question the seriousness of the investigation.

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