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KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Larut-PN) broke the law by not acting against alleged wrongdoings involving current government leaders detailed in files he claimed he possessed during his tenure as home minister, said Pakatan Harapan lawmaker Hassan Abdul Karim (Pasir Gudang-PH).
The Pasir Gudang MP said the admission by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general potentially violates two separate provisions.
For one, he said Hamzah had committed an offence by deliberately not pursuing action against a potential crime.
“If a minister in power at that time did not act against a crime which is within his knowledge, it is a major offence.
“Action can be taken against him even if he is no longer in power,” he told the Dewan Rakyat when debating the budget for the Prime Minister’s Department at the committee stage today.
Separately, Hassan noted that Hamzah’s claim of having access to files on government leaders may have also run afoul of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA).
“When a minister has ended his service, I believe he is subjected to laws like OSA and the oath of secrecy which he took before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong previously.”
Hassan was responding to a question from RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH) on whether the former thought Hamzah’s declaration proved there was an offence committed.
“Should a police report be made and an investigation be conducted? How did he come to possess the files?”
The Star had reported yesterday that Hamzah claimed to have access to files on current government leaders when he was the home minister.
“Don’t just find fault. I can just find fault with them. I’m telling you, I know.
“I used to be the home minister, I think I’ve got a lot of files against them too, whether I want to use it or not,” he was quoted as saying.
Hamzah was home minister from March 2020 to November 2022 under two governments. – The Vibes, March 13, 2023