PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is currently awaiting the decision of the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) on whether charges against former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should proceed or not.
Its chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki said the decision to prosecute rests entirely under the AGC's jurisdiction.
"I am just waiting for the Attorney-General (AG) to decide whether the case will proceed to indictment or not, that's all,” he said when met at the MACC's 58th Anniversary Celebration at Puspanita Puri here today.
"It's up to him (AG), but for asset recovery, we (MACC) have done our job and all the assets in question have been recovered.”Earlier today, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court ordered cash exceeding RM169 million belonging to Ismail Sabri to be forfeited to the Government of Malaysia.
Judge Suzana Hussin ruled on the forfeiture of funds after MACC deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, as the applicant, informed the court that no third party had come forward to claim the property.
The court previously recorded that Ismail Sabri and his former political secretary Datuk Mohammad Anuar Mohd Yunus did not file any objection to MACC's application.
The third-party gazette notice was published on Sept 22, but no claims were submitted.
The MACC filed the forfeiture application on July 7 under Section 41(1) of the MACC Act 2009 after being satisfied that the cash in question, which was kept by Mohammad Anuar, belonged to Ismail Sabri and was related to an offence under Section 36(2) of the same act.
This amount includes RM14,772,150; SG$6,132,350; USD1,461,400 and CHF3 million (Swiss Franc); EUR12,164,150; JPY363,000,000 (Yen); GBP£50,250; NZ$44,600; AED34,750,000 (Emirati Dirham) and AUD352,850.
In addition, MACC also seized 16 kilogrammes of pure gold bars estimated to be worth RM7 million as a result of investigations into Ismail Sabri, following searches at residences and premises believed to be 'safe houses' after the arrest of four of his senior officers last February.
Ismail Sabri was previously called several times by the MACC to give testimony regarding his asset declaration.