Pak Lah Wants Thorough Probe Into ACA Chief's Case.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants the probe into allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Director General Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor to be conducted thoroughly.

"I have telephoned the IGP (Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan) on the case and he has informed me what is being done," he told the Malaysian media here Thursday at the end of his three-day visit to Yemen. Abdullah, who had been updated on the case by the IGP, said he wanted the case to be conducted properly to determine the real situation.

The allegations against Zulkipli surfaced after a movement who call themselves Gerak or Gerakan Demokrasi dan Anti Korupsi (Democracy and Anti Corruption Movement), posted in a local blog the allegations made by a former ACA officer.

The allegations were made by former ACA Sabah director Mohamad Ramli Manan, in a letter to former IGP Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar in July last year. Ramli, who retired in December last year, had claimed that Zulkipi owned several business interests and properties including six houses in Pagoh, Johor, and that he misused government vehicles to check on the properties and businesses.

The Prime Minister also said Zulkifli had previously been investigated twice. He said when Zulkifli was appointed as ACA Director General in 2001, there was a probe against him but he was cleared of the allegation.

Zulkifli had been a Special Branch officer for over two decades and rose to become the state police chief in Johor and Sarawak. He was the first police officer to be appointed to the ACA's top post in 2001. Before his term to the post was extended in 2005, another probe was conducted, and again it was found that there was no case against him, Abdullah added.

Abdullah was commenting on Musa's statement yesterday that the investigation paper involving Zulkipli, which backdated 10 years ago, had been re-submitted to the Attorney General's Office. Musa said the paper was related to Zulkipli, who had been investigated for an alleged sexual offence against a woman in July 1997 at the Cheras police station. The woman alleged that Zulkipli had hit her for refusing to have sex with him. Zulkipli has denied the allegations.

On Wednesday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, said Zulkipli and those who testified against him would be asked to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity on March 12. Dompok who heads the 12-member committee, said the body would determine whether the allegations involved elements of integrity and if so, would submit the necessary recommendation to Parliament. (Bernama)

***** Amazing isn't it? So many allegations, so many instances of abuse of power and credible proof of amassing wealth. Yet surprise, surprise despite probe after probe after probe, our man Zulkipli has been found squeaky clean! What can one infer from this? That apart from the unlikely case of him being totally innocent, he has successfully used his connections to get away with it and there are people out there who are guilty of shielding a criminal. How else can you explain why the IGP is resubmitting papers to the A-G? Only when one is not satisfied with the A-G's decision and is convinced that there is a case to answer or there is suspicion that the A-G is dragging his feet does the question of resubmitting papers comes in.

The former A-G who did precious little on this and other important issues then, is no more around to answer for his deeds and misdeeds. It is incumbent upon the current A-G to set things right and if crimes have been committed he has to ensure that the guilty pay dearly.

A funny thing though. In many countries politicians use civil servants to hide their wrongdoings. Here in good old Malaysia, our politicians spend a lot of time trying to explain away, cover for, hide, shield and generally bend the law to save the guilty-as-hell civil servant. Who said that we are conformists?
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UPDATE: IGP Meets A-G Over Zulkipli's Case