KUALA LUMPUR (June 3): Investigation papers involving former anti-graft chief Tan Sri Azam Baki will be submitted in the near term to the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Royal Malaysian Police said.

Azam’s statement has been recorded for the probes into an article about his share ownership in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd (KL:VELOCITY) as well as alleged abuse of power and criminal threats against a civilian named Albert Tei, said Bukit Aman’s director of the criminal investigation department Datuk M Kumar S Muthuvelu.

The police are committed to transparency and integrity of the investigation to ensure justice, and will not compromise against any individual found violating the law, he said.

Azam’s statement was recorded under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

He had said on May 27 that he would give his full cooperation to the police and was prepared to provide a statement to assist investigations. He also described Tei’s allegations as baseless, denied having any dealings or communication with the businessman, and said he was mulling legal action.

Tei claimed that he had received threats and intimidation from the former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner while attempting to expose alleged corruption scandals involving several high-profile Sabah politicians.

On May 26, Kumar said the police had completed recording statements from Tei and his lawyer and that Azam would be summoned next to assist investigations.

A separate report of a special investigation committee into Azam’s public shareholdings has been completed and presented to the Cabinet, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo on May 14. The minister called for the report and any follow-up action to be made public.

Azam retired as the MACC chief commissioner on May 12 after his tenure was extended three times beyond the mandatory retirement age. He was succeeded by Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman, whose appointment took effect the following day.

The controversy followed a Bloomberg report alleging that Azam owned 17.7 million shares in Velocity Capital, valued at about RM800,000, exceeding the RM100,000 shareholding threshold for public servants.

Azam had acknowledged purchasing and later disposing of the shares, while maintaining that he had acted within regulations and denied any wrongdoing.

In another article, Bloomberg also reported that MACC officials were involved in forced takeovers of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia in collusion with several corporate figures known as the 'corporate mafia'. The MACC had also denied the allegation.