KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will reopen cold case files involving the public interest early next year, according to chief commissioner Latheefa Koya.
She said she had given instruction for the cases to be reviewed and MACC had also received several complaints involving the cases.
“I have not been able to find out exactly why (the cases were closed), despite the fact that there was clear evidence and the investigation was already completed.
“At what level that the instruction (to close the case) was issued and so on,” she told Bernama after appearing as a guest in the ‘Women as Leaders’ programme on the Bernama Radio, here.
Asked if the public interest cases involved the previous government leadership, Latheefa said it involved various cases and did not necessarily involve leaders of the previous administration.
Commenting on the recent visit to the country’s border in Padang Besar, Perlis, Latheefa said MACC believed that all relevant authorities had implemented aggressive measures to ensure that the nation’s borders were not porous.
“Safeguarding the country’s borders is not something that can be fixed in a month or two because it involves cooperation of various enforcement agencies.
“At Padang Besar, there should be a focus to improve the businesses there because the area appears deserted. So questions arise, do these traders also conduct businesses elsewhere? Or those who go there are looking for cheap counterfeit goods,” she said.
“Personally I think Padang Besar has complete facilities to conduct businesses but there is a shortage of visitors despite the large number of goods sold there.
“I hope the relevant authorities will monitor and find out causes behind the drop in number of visitors there, apart from helping to revive its economy,” she added.
Asked about the MACC’s recent visit and inspection at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, she recommended for steps to be taken to improve the system and to emulate the more organised Thai side, in efforts to reduce processing time and delay. - Bernama
