(Breaking News) ACA chief contract not renewed

About time.

He should have been made to go on leave while under investigations.

These case files, according to an editor of a popular daily, were received since last July by the mainstream media but they didn’t dare to print them.

Instead they were sent to the Prime Minister’s department but there was no action.

…. Until Malaysiakini.com broke the news, reporting on the press conference held on February 26, 2007 by Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, the chairperson of Gerakan Demokrasi dan Anti-Korupsi (GERAK) (Please send bouquets to both these organisations!)

Now the question remains:- Will the police investigation bear fruit, or will it be another case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’?

March 30, 2007 22:39 PM
Contract Zulkipli Mat Noor as DG ACA Will Not Be Renewed

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) — The contract of Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor as the director-general of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) which ends on Saturday will not be renewed, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Friday night. — BERNAMA

And this is the press conference and news story that snowballed into tonight’s outcome:-

 

Explosive allegations against ACA chief
Muda Mohd Nor and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Feb 26, 07 8:19pm

Several explosive allegations, ranging from corruption to sexual crimes, have been made against Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor by one of its senior ex-officers.

The allegations were made in a report filed last year by former ACA officer Mohamad Ramli Manan to the then inspector-general of police Mohd Bakri Omar.

Ramli’s ‘first information report’ – a complaint to the police lodged by a third party – was revealed by Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) chairperson Ezam Mohd Nor at a press conference in Kelana Jaya today.

In the July 4, 2006 report, Ramli named the ACA chief – who is a former top cop – and referred to him as ‘B1′.

“As you are aware, B1 was a member of your police force and his last appointment there was as Sarawak chief police officer. It has come to the knowledge of the ACA that B1 was a very corrupt senior police officer and had amassed substantial property and assets through corrupt practices,” he told Mohd Bakri in his report.

Zulkipli served in the police Special Branch for over two decades and rose through the ranks to become the organisation’s chief. In 1996, he took over as police chief in Johor before being tapped as Sarawak police chief in 2000.

He was subsequently appointed ACA DG six years ago – the first police officer to have assumed the post.

Ramli claimed that in 1997 – when Zulkipli was Johor police chief – the ACA had then learnt that he was “in possession of properties disproportionate to his known source of income” and had indulged in “immoral and criminal” activities.

Sexual crime

Apart from this, Ramli also disclosed that the police had allegedly investigated Zulkipli in connection with a sexual crime following a report filed by a housewife with the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur.

Following this report, he said the housewife had also filed additional reports with the police in Negri Sembilan’s Mambau and Kuala Lumpur’s Segambut as well as Dang Wangi for alleged assault and use of criminal force.

“There were also evidence of interference by B1 in the course of the police investigation wherein witnesses were threatened not to cooperate,” said Ramli.

Ramli – who served in ACA’s investigation division – also claimed that the ACA director-general owned several business interests and properties, including six houses in Pagoh, Johor.

He said the ACA learnt that the police had investigated Zulkipli for allegedly misusing government vehicles to carry out regular checks on these properties and business interests.

According to the report, these allegations were well-known in the police circle and several police officers had also offered evidence of B1’s corrupt activities to the Police Royal Commission two years ago.

“As a senior ACA officer, I have to categorically state that B1’s continued presence in the civil service, notably in ACA, whose main duty is to eradicate corruption, is a security threat to the country,” the report added.

Ramli expressed hope that the police would launch a thorough investigation into the allegations.

In the final paragraph of his report, the former ACA officer stated that it was on record that he had informed the relevant authorities, including the organisation he had worked for, regarding these allegations since 2003. However, these were ignored.

“I have to state that this is my last act of national duty since I am going into compulsory retirement. The ACA being a very important public institution should be supported by all and sundry and see that it discharges its national duty in the best interest of the public and country,” said Ramli, who retired soon after he filed the report.

The ‘first information report’ was also sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the attorney-general, the auditor-general and director-general of the civil service.

Extension of service

Contacted by malaysiakini this evening, Ramli confirmed that he had written the report.

Asked on the validity of the allegations, the 56-year-old former civil servant – who is currently based in Negeri Sembilan – said the police should investigate them.

At today’s press conference, Ezam said a copy of the report was mailed by an unidentified individual to the Gerak office several weeks ago.

He said although his organisation did not meet Ramli, Gerak managed to verify the authenticity of the report from its own sources.

Commenting on the allegations, Ezam questioned why the premier had extended Zulkipli’s tenure in 2005.

“There are enough grounds to be very suspicious of why the contract was extended when the allegations had surfaced years before,” he said.

He urged the police to act immediately on the claims and for Zulkipli, who was appointed as DG in 2001, to be suspended pending investigations.

Ezam added that Gerak had hand-delivered a copy of the report to the Prime Minister’s Department a few days ago.

Zulkipli could not be reached for comment.

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