Dap Mp Opens Fire On Macc Over Claims It Tried To Silence Albert

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PARLIAMENT | A DAP MP has demanded that Putrajaya answer whether MACC was involved in an alleged attempt to silence a whistleblower from exposing the Sabah mining scandal.
This came after lawyer Mahajoth Singh revealed earlier today that his client Albert Tei claimed he had approached MACC but was warned against coming forward before he exposed the scandal to Malaysiakini.
Lim Lip Eng (Harapan-Kepong) said it was such a serious allegation and, if true, raises huge concerns over MACC's credibility and transparency.
"How can a law enforcement agency, whose duty is to receive and investigate reports about wrongdoings, threaten an individual to stop him from blowing the whistle?” he asked in the Dewan Rakyat.
ADSIt was even more troubling that the whistleblower is now facing prosecution after exposing the matter through another channel, he added.
“This has raised important questions that must be answered. Did the MACC block an attempt to expose the Sabah mining corruption scandal?
"More importantly, is the government trying to send a message that those who are brave enough to reveal crime or corruption would face punishment instead of receiving protection?
"If the country's laws are used to punish and threaten those who want to come forward and reveal the truth, then this whole (legal) framework for protecting whistleblowers is only rhetoric," he said in his speech.
Lim (above) was debating a bill proposed by the government to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010.
Several politicians implicated
Since November last year, Tei has released a series of videos and documents allegedly implicating nine politicians, including the Sabah assembly speaker, whom he claimed accepted bribes in exchange for mining prospecting licences.
Businessperson Albert TeiOn July 30, Tei pleaded not guilty to corruption charges in Kota Kinabalu. Also claiming trial were assemblypersons Andi Suryady Bandy (Tanjung Batu) and Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), who were charged with receiving bribes.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said reportedly said yesterday that whistleblowers who approach the media before enforcement agencies are not entitled to protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010.
Following this, Mahajoth responded with a statement today saying that his client had gone to MACC first.
Protection denied
During his debate, Lim also questioned MACC's claim that it could not give whistleblower protection to the businessperson because he was allegedly involved in the scandal himself.
"If someone is automatically denied protection only because he was involved in an offence that he wanted to expose, this would indirectly close the door for people who want to come forward to expose wrongdoings in Malaysia.
"Around the world, many of the whistleblowers are individuals who had been part of a criminal system or corruption, and their bravery to come forward should be appreciated instead of punished," he added. - Mkini

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