Issue of MP's investigated under OSA is under purview of police: Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: The issue of the three Members of Parliament being investigated under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for allegedly speaking on state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) in the Dewan Rakyat last week is under the purview of the police.
"If it is found that the speech made had truly gone against the OSA, the police will hand over their investigation papers to the Attorney-General Chambers for further action," Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a news conference today after the launch of former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's biography here.
Ahmad Zahid added that, eventhought as MPs they have their privileges when speaking in the Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara, the OSA states that a protection of government secrets must be abided by Cabinet members.
This also extends to former government officials, he said.
The three MPs are former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Husni Hanadzlah, and former Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
On allegations that billionaire George Soros had funded electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0, research organisation Merdeka Centre and news portal Malaysiakini, Ahmad Zahid suggested that an empirical investigation be carried out to clear the allegations.
Without elaborating on the mechanics of the investigation, he said it was not important to question the reasons behind the alleged funding or who was behind it.
"However, it is a question of external parties involving themselves (in our affairs) because Malaysia has its own "mould" which is suitable for the country. Therefore, we do not need outsiders to interfere, especially when funding any political activities that either opposes or supports any organisation or individual," he said
He was responding to a press query regarding a recent claim by Datuk Jamal Yunos that DC Leaks, a project comprising hacktivists that analyses and releases emails from prominent officials and their agents worldwide, had claimed Soros was the funder for the three organisations which have allegedly received some RM3.2 billion over the years.