The first person MACC should look for is the Prime Minister – Rafizi

SHAH ALAM – Former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has claimed that the first person the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should be looking for, if there were indeed irregularities in the RM1.11 billion mega agreement between the government and a foreign company, is the Prime Minister himself.

The Pandan MP alleged that MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki was instead focusing on locating his former aide at the Economy Ministry James Chai, who he said merely prepared presentation slides and is currently working in Cambridge.

“Just because the political plot within PKR did not turn out the way the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) wanted, the entire machinery of government is now being mobilised to go after a young man,” he said in a post on X on Thursday.

On Wednesday, MACC was reported to be attempting to locate Chai, who is also a political analyst, to assist in its investigation.

The commission said Chai, whose full name is Chai Jin Shern, is being sought to help with the probe, although it did not disclose details of the case under investigation.

Earlier, MACC confirmed that it had initiated an investigation into a mega agreement between the government and foreign company Arm Ltd, estimated to be worth RM1.11 billion.

The probe followed a review by MACC of information submitted by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) concerning a former senior minister from a ministry.

Preliminary investigations by the commission indicated that the RM1.11 billion deal was believed to have been finalised in haste by the Economy Ministry.

Following this, Chai on Thursday morning criticised MACC after it was alleged to have created the impression that he was hiding to avoid being investigated.

Chai said the narrative presented by MACC made it appear as though he was a fugitive.

He added that Azam had also held a press conference on the matter, which gave the impression that he was hiding like a criminal.

Rafizi further claimed that the Prime Minister should be the first person sought by MACC, as all dealings with Arm Ltd involved him.

“The one who asked us to arrange the meeting with Arm Ltd was Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself. The one involved in the meeting with the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and owner was also the Prime Minister himself.

“The one who chaired Cabinet meetings where this matter was discussed and approved several times was the Prime Minister himself. And the one who officiated the collaboration was also the Prime Minister himself,” he said.