Customs officer falls to his death at MACC office

Selangor Customs Department assistant director, Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, 56 falls to his death from the third floor of the MACC office.

FULL REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR:  A Customs officer fell to his death from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Jalan Cochrane here today.

The deceased was identified as Selangor Customs Department assistant director, Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, 56.

He was among 62 officers arrested in a joint operation in Penang, Johor, Selangor and Pahang by a special task force comprising MACC, the Inland Revenue Board, the Customs Department and Bank Negara.

Speaking at a press conference here, MACC director of investigations Mustafar Ali said the deceased came to the commission’s office at about 8am to meet the case’s investigating officer.

“He was one of the Customs officers arrested during the raid on April 1 at Port Klang. He was released the day after at 12.30pm after posting bail,” he said.

Upon arriving at the office, Sarbani was unable to meet the investigating officer as the latter was in a meeting.

The deceased then waited at the lobby until 9.30am and was later escorted by another officer who brought him to his office.

“At about 10.15am, the officer left his room to get Sarbani’s investigating officer. Upon returning to his room, he found that the Customs officer was missing.

“After a search, Sarbani was found dead at the first floor of our office building,”said Mustafar.

Asked if this incident would further erode MACC’s image, the director refused to comment. “We will let the police investigate the matter,” he said.

Police chief: Don’t speculate

Kuala Lumpur police chief Zulkifli Abdullah, who was present at the scene, said a special task force would be set up to investigate the matter.

“The deceased was found dead at the badminton court located on the first floor of the building. We have classified it as sudden death for now,” he said, adding that Sarbani was found lying face down.

The Customs officer’s body had been sent to the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for post-mortem, and Zulkifli urged all quarters not to speculate on the incident.

“We will take statements from witnesses and update the media from time to time,” he said.

Asked if there was a CCTV recording of the incident and if he suspected foul play, Zulkifli refused to comment.

“Let us investigate the matter first,” he said.

Suspend all MACC officers involved

Civil society organisations meanwhile called for the immediate suspension of MACC’s national director Mohamad Khalid Yusuf, the Selangor director and all officers involved in the investigation of the case.

They urged for the setting up of an inquiry commission to ensure there is no cover-up of evidence or any obstruction to the investigation process.

“This incident has again raised questions on the integrity and accountability of the MACC. Public
confidence in the credibility and professionalism of the MACC has been shattered,” said the civil societies, represented by Suaram, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) and Malaysians For Beng.

Suaram has also called off its plan to submit a memorandum against Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud to the MACC in Putrajaya in view of this latest incident.

Riot at Port Klang

Earlier, DAP’s Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng tweeted that a riot had erupted at the Port Klang Customs office over the incident.

He said the angry Customs personnel had “thrashed computers” and “shouted slogans”.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz told reporters in Parliament that Sarbani’s death would not derail MACC’s investigation into other Customs officers.

“We will investigate the matter (the death) but the investigations (into the graft allegation) must continue,” he said. Several Customs officers are expected to be charged tomorrow.

In another immediate reaction, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail described the incident as a “shocking tragedy”.

“In the midst of the Teoh Beng Hock’s RCI, it shows the institution and governance in the country is poor,” she told reporters in Kuching, Sarawak.

“What is the indicator of (good governance)? In the midst of having a royal commission, we are told of MACC officers downloading porn. How can we trust them?” she added, referring to revelations made at the Teoh inquiry earlier this week.

Chilling reminder


DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Ahmad’s death gives a tragic sense of déjà vu and is a chilling reminder of the death of DAP political secretary Teoh in the Selangor MACC HQ.
He said that there should be an RCI on this latest incident, and called for the full revamp of MACC.

PAS’ Mujahid Haji Yusof Rawa questioned MACC’s integrity, saying that the second death in their custody would invoke an issue of trust against MACC’s favour.

“If I want to make a report, how would I trust (MACC)?” he asked.

MIC/BN’s Hulu Selangor MP P Kamalanathan agreed with Mujahid, saying the latest incident would cast doubt in people’s mind’s over MACC.

The latest incident comes amid the investigation by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of Teoh, who had also fallen to his death two years ago after being questioned by the MACC in Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam.

Teoh’s death had severely dented MACC’s reputation, and the RCI had also been tasked with probing into whether the commission’s investigative methods violated human rights.