MACC admits probe into Rosmah’s alleged RM24m ring

The commission says they will probe any case brought to their attention even if it involves the PM’s wife.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that even the prime minister and his wife would not be spared if a report of suspected corruption was lodged about them to the commission.

MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed said this when referring to a probe the commission carried out last year after receiving a report of a RM24 million diamond ring purportedly belonging to Rosmah Mansor that was brought into the country.

According to Asia News Network that cited a report appearing in Sin Chiew Daily, Abu Kassim confirmed that investigations commenced almost immediately after the commission received the report.

“What I want to say is: we have even probed the Prime Minister’s wife.

“Do you think we still have anything to be afraid of?”

The diamond ring was much talked about at the time but widely believed to have been swept under the carpet by MACC.

However Abu Kassim said that MACC officers made a call to Najib just two hours after receiving the report and asked him about the ring.

Further probes also revealed that the Customs Department confirmed receiving the ring that they said entered the country via Singapore and which was subsequently returned to a New York-based jeweller.

Abu Kassim made this revelation for the first time ever at a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fight graft involving Sabah state assemblymen in Kota Kinabalu.

In his speech, Abu Kassim also advised members of the public to lodge reports of suspected corruption directly to MACC instead of going to the press as this only gave the alleged perpetrators ample opportunity to find loopholes in the law to escape being charged.