Malaysia's anti-graft agency to probe letter supporting Ahmad Zahid as PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will investigate a letter purportedly supporting United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as prime minister in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).

MACC chief Azam Baki said the agency has received reports on the matter. He added that he did not discount the possibility of calling certain individuals to have their statements recorded.

"We will open investigation papers so that the matter can be looked into. Let my officers decide on who to call. They will do so after looking at documents that have been surrendered to them," he was quoted as saying by The Star on Thursday (Nov 3). 

On Tuesday, Ahmad Zahid denied that there was a pledge of allegiance letter being circulated. He said that the claims were “a lie”.

Earlier, there was a media report claiming that BN candidates for GE15 were required to sign the letters. 

Citing sources, the report said that Ahmad Zahid has been going state by state to give out credential letters to BN candidates to contest GE15, with the condition they sign a pledge of allegiance and give him the mandate to form the government, should the coalition win the federal polls on Nov 19.

The sources added that BN candidates were asked, through the pledge, to support Ahmad Zahid to negotiate with other political parties and appoint Cabinet members from MPs of his choice. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition said it has lodged a police report against a social media post that went viral depicting a pledge made by BN communications director Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, in which he promised, among other things, to support Ahmad Zahid as prime minister.

A report has also been lodged with the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the coalition added. 

On Tuesday, BN unveiled its list of 160 candidates who will contest in the peninsula during the upcoming election. 

Ahmad Zahid did not name candidates for several constituencies, without giving reasons.

Missing from the list of candidates are at least four caretaker ministers in Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet, who were dropped just days before Nomination Day on this Saturday. Polling will take place on Nov 19.

Ahmad Zahid had stated on Oct 16 that the decision to nominate Mr Ismail Sabri as BN’s candidate for prime minister, should the coalition win GE15, was final.