Pas Mp Presses Halal Glc On Acting Chair S Graft Record Despite Macc S Clean Bill

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A PAS lawmaker has doubled down on his criticism of the Halal Development Corporation (HDC), questioning how its acting chairperson, Azhari Shaari, could be declared free of corruption despite MACC records showing otherwise.
PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari highlighted that Azhari’s name appears in the graft buster’s official records, including its 2023 annual report under a section on high-profile court cases, which sided with the prosecution.
He also noted that Azhari, who is also the Shah Alam Umno chief, is listed in the MACC’s corruption offenders database.
“Why then is HDC claiming that MACC denied that this individual has a record of corruption? Or, is this perhaps a play (on) terminologies (to imply that) misuse of funds is not considered corruption?
“What kind of screening (was used to vet Azhari) if his name still appears on (MACC’s) official record? What sort of filter was used?” Fadhli (above) pressed in a statement today.
Earlier today, HDC’s corporate communications department said that the Umno leader was appointed by the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry as a board director at the GLC in October 2024.
The corporation added that as part of his appointment, he was vetted by the MACC, which in November 2024 declared him free of any graft records.
Its clarification today came after Fadhli had previously raised concerns about Azhari’s presence on the HDC board over the latter’s guilty plea in a criminal case.
Not a minor role
Commenting on the matter, Fadhli took a jab at Umno while stressing that Azhari's position as acting chairperson since June 17 this year is not a “minor” one as it involves exposure to high-level financial management.
“Even if this is a political appointment, are there no other Umno leaders who could be appointed to the post? Or are there no longer any clean ones to appoint?
“Previously, I said that if anyone claims this government is serious about fighting corruption, they are actually asleep. I apologise - it is actually not sleep, but a serious hallucinatory illness,” he asserted.
Shah Alam Umno chief Azhari ShaariIn 2023, Azhari was slapped with three charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code for dishonestly misappropriating RM440,000 meant for orphans and an Aidiladha korban (animal sacrifice) programme.
He also faced three charges under Section 471 of the Penal Code for knowingly using fake annual general meeting minutes as genuine documents.
While he initially pleaded not guilty, the MACC’s 2023 annual report stated that he later entered a guilty plea for one of the forgery charges, resulting in the withdrawal of the five other charges against him.
Azhari was fined RM1,900 for the forgery charge he pleaded guilty to, while RM220,000 was forfeited to the government. - Mkini

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