Kuching: DAP Sarawak Chairman Chong Chieng Jen has called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to instruct the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to immediately cease what he described as the abuse of its enforcement powers and to conduct its investigations in a more professional, accountable and respectable manner.
Chong said the high-handed, widely publicised manner in which the MACC conducted its investigation into James Chai should be condemned.
“A public apology by the MACC to James Chai is most warranted,” he said.
Chong stressed that while DAP Sarawak does not oppose investigations into any alleged wrongdoing, the manner in which MACC conducted itself in the investigation of James Chai (portraying him as a fugitive) is seen as an attempt to humiliate and intimidate rather than a genuine, normal investigation process.
“The MACC has stated that beginning on 24 February, they attempted to contact James Chai via WhatsApp, before subsequently issuing a public notice seeking his assistance in the investigation,” he said in a statement.
According to Chong, the public is therefore entitled to ask a simple and reasonable question.
“After the WhatsApp message on 24 February, what formal investigative steps were actually taken by the MACC?
“Did the MACC issue any formal summons or written notice requiring James Chai to assist in the investigation?
“Did the investigating officer make any attempt to contact or locate James Chai at his last known residential address or workplace?
“Did the investigating officer contact any of his family members to know his whereabouts?” he said.
He pointed out that failure to reach someone on WhatsApp alone cannot justify a national manhunt.
“If none of these steps was taken, then one must ask whether such a highly publicised action was intended to uncover the truth, or to create a political spectacle to humiliate and to silence political dissent, more so when it is public knowledge that James Chai is politically aligned to Rafizi, who has become very critical of the Prime Minister.
“It is most disturbing to see that the current Madani Government, in the conduct of James Chai’s case, has thetendency to become the previous oppressive Barisan Nasional Government that we opposed so strongly, one that uses law enforcement power to suppress political dissidents,” he said.
Chong added that the Prime Minister himself had suffered most under the yoke of the previous regime, when the full weight of the enforcement forces was applied to him.
“He should be the last person to allow the repeat of such a thing when he helms the Government.
“He should also understand that such abuse and oppression by the law enforcement agency will not destroy the political dissidents, but it will destroy the whole integrity of the system and public trust in the government,” Chong said.
