No one will be protected in corporate mafia investigations – Anwar

LocalPolitics
20 Oct 2026 • 11:10 AM MYT
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KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for a task force led by the Attorney-General to produce a comprehensive public report on alleged corporate mafia activities within three months, stressing that no individual implicated in wrongdoing would be protected.

He said the task force would coordinate investigations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Bank Negara Malaysia, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

“Since this matter has been raised, I want coordination to be more effective. I have asked the Attorney-General to lead a task force involving all enforcement agencies.

“I want a comprehensive report so that people do not assume there is a lack of transparency or that certain individuals are being protected. Let it be completed within three months. This is a government report, and I want it to be disclosed to the public,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) during Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Earlier, Datuk Seri Utama Aminuddin Harun (PH-Port Dickson) had sought an update on allegations of corporate mafia activities and the enforcement action taken so far.

Anwar said corporate crimes had persisted for decades, including the acquisition and control of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, stock market manipulation, breaches of corporate disclosure requirements and illegal moneylending activities.

“We inherited a system that was certainly less transparent.

“I will not go into the details, but these experiences should teach us that the agencies entrusted with these responsibilities, including Bank Negara, the Securities Commission, MACC and the police, must carry out their duties transparently and accountably,” he said.

He said enforcement action had increased twofold to threefold since 2023, with the SC initiating 239 criminal charges involving 50 individuals.

Anwar also cited investigations under Op Viking, saying 70 individuals had been investigated and that authorities had seized properties, vehicles, share-trading accounts and bank accounts.

He said broader anti-money laundering enforcement efforts from late 2022 to September 2026 had resulted in RM43 billion being frozen, RM1 billion seized, RM48.3 million forfeited and RM1.1 billion in compounds imposed.

On whether existing legislation needed to be amended, Anwar said the laws administered by Bank Negara, the SC, PDRM, LHDN and MACC were generally sufficient to address corporate crimes.

“What is needed is clear direction or political will.

“Our position is that whatever information is available must be examined without exception, disclosed and investigated as necessary.

“This is different from ordinary accusations without clear evidence,” he said.

Anwar also confirmed that Malaysian enforcement agencies continued to cooperate with their international counterparts, given the cross-border nature of certain corporate crimes.

“Sometimes, these crimes cross borders. Thankfully, in the 2025 Mutual Evaluation of Malaysia by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a very high assessment was given to Bank Negara and the measures taken by our country to ensure the recovery of funds.

“Without clear political will, compared with the period before 2022, there was hardly any action. Even in the Serba Dinamik case, investigations had been carried out but there were requests to close the case, despite losses to the public or shareholders reaching RM3 billion to RM4 billion,” he said.

He reiterated that his administration would not interfere in investigations, adding that decisions on prosecution and the disclosure of ongoing cases remained within the jurisdiction of the respective enforcement authorities.

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