Politicians Should Cooperate With MACC - DPM

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- The people, including politicians, should give their cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to ensure that the legal process runs smoothly, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"The MACC should not differentiate investigations on politicians and the common public. The issue is corruption.

"The problem did not arise before as anyone who was called (to give a statement) would give his cooperation. It's only an investigation, not a punishment," he told reporters at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport before leaving for Kuala Lumpur Sunday.

Muhyiddin was commenting on the remarks by MACC director of investigations Datuk Shukri Abdull yesterday that the MACC would stop investigating politicians indefinitely as they were being slammed by various parties on the way the commission conducted its investigations.

Muhyiddin said the MACC, as an independent body, was not subjected to the government's order.

"So, it's up to the MACC to decide on the matter," he said.

The MACC has been accused of acting aggressively in the arrest of Wong Chuan How, 50, an aide to Selangor state executive councillor Ronnie Liu, in Sungai Pelek on Friday.

Muhyiddin said the opposition should not be behaving as though they were not cooperating with the MACC.

"The MACC has had a good track record, so it's not proper for some quarters to doubt its operations," he said.

Meanwhile, in PETALING JAYA, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the MACC should not run from the responsibility entrusted to it, although it had been condemned and pressured by certain quarters, including politicians from the opposition or Barisan Nasional.

"I'm sad because the commission is supposed to be independent and most important is that, every investigation should be conducted in a transparent manner.

"So, I hope the MACC will be patient. I understand the pressure the officers have to put up with. But please do not run away from the responsibility as the commission was set up to tackle the problem of corruption," he told reporters after opening the Lembah Pantai Umno division meeting here.