Penang: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has dismissed allegations by former minister Rafizi Ramli's former aide Chai Jin Shern, also known as James Chai, that he was a victim of enforcement action by MACC. MACC said Chai's claims are inaccurate, misleading, and give the public a false impression regarding the investigative procedures carried out by the Commission.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MACC clarified that the allegation suggesting the press conference was held solely to target Chai is entirely untrue and baseless. The press conference in question was part of MACC's regular monthly media briefing, aimed at updating the media on several ongoing investigations. Among the cases discussed were Op Middlemen, the illegal e-waste case involving the Department of Environment, Op Heart, investigations involving IJM, and Op Godfather, which relates to the case involving Toh Puan Nai'mah Ab Khalid, her family, and associates.
The MACC emphasized that issuing a Notice to Trace an Individual or Witness to Assist Investigation is a standard procedure. This notice is only disseminated after all other efforts to contact the individual have failed, including calls and visits to known addresses. The notice does not imply any criminal accusation against the individual but is merely a step to locate individuals required for investigation. In this particular investigation, 12 individuals, including a federal minister, have cooperated with MACC. MACC encouraged Chai to present himself and cooperate if he has no reason to hide.
Prior to the issuance of the Notice to Trace, the investigating officer attempted several times to reach Chai, who was believed to be in the United Kingdom, through various means, including WhatsApp starting February 24, but received no response. Chai's phone number eventually blocked the officer's number on February 26, contradicting claims that MACC did not try to contact him before issuing the notice. MACC condemned any attempts to portray standard investigative procedures as persecution or acts of bad faith.
MACC reiterated its commitment to professional, evidence-based investigations, stressing that no one is above the law. It reminded individuals called to assist in investigations to cooperate fully and avoid evading authorities or promoting misleading public narratives.