KUALA LUMPUR (May 15): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) cannot remain mum on its conduct in the lead-up to Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh’s disappearance.
In a statement on Thursday, Ling's family lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, said that it was unacceptable for the anti-graft agency to merely say that it would leave the investigation into the woman's disappearance to the police.
"The facts speak for themselves: It has now been 36 days since Pamela Ling was taken as she was en route to the MACC for yet another round of questioning.
"For months, Pamela was subjected to relentless scrutiny by the MACC. She was questioned repeatedly, and she was prevented from returning to her children in Singapore. Pamela’s presence in Malaysia was not by choice, but by order of the MACC.
"With her movements restricted and no option to leave the country, she was placed entirely under the authority and control of the MACC.
"This is not a favour the MACC owes the public — it is a duty. Malaysians fund this institution. This public institution and its chief commissioner are not above public scrutiny," she said.
On April 9, Ling was summoned to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya for an investigation under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA).
She reportedly went missing on her way to the appointment. Her lawyer filed a police report about her disappearance the same day.
Last week, Sangeet revealed that just two days before Ling's disappearance, the woman had filed court papers to legally challenge the travel ban imposed on her and the agency's power to allegedly exert pressure on her to resolve private disputes with her estranged husband.
In response, the MACC issued a statement saying that the allegations of harassment were unfounded, and that procedures concerning Ling were carried out in accordance with the law. It also urged the public to refrain from speculation which could hinder the investigation.
Commenting on the issue, MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki told the New Straits Times last week that it was unfair to blame the agency, as Ling's abduction took place on a public road, outside of the MACC's compound, and beyond its control.
In the statement on Thursday, Sangeet added that despite promises of reform over the years, the agency continues to be under the Prime Minister's Department's purview, without parliamentary oversight.
This, she said, allows the agency to operate without accountability or transparency.
"In Pamela’s case, serious questions have been raised about the MACC’s conduct, yet no one has seen fit to respond.
"The refusal of a powerful enforcement agency to respond to legitimate public concern, this time involving a missing woman, reflects the erosion of integrity across our public institutions.
"All who believe in public accountability must demand greater oversight of the MACC," the lawyer said.
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