KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has urged the person with video recordings of state assembly members discussing bribes to file an official complaint with the agency.
Its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the agency can offer protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, but the individual would have to come forward and follow due procedures.
He told the New Straits Times that under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, the person with the information must first report the misconduct before law enforcement can start the protection process.
"MACC cannot provide any written guarantee of immunity at this point without first being furnished with detailed information about the improper conduct.
"Therefore, it is premature for the MACC to offer protection under the law to the individual," he said stressing that the law also says that once the individual provides the information to authorities, he would be protected under the law.
However, he added, the law also says that if the individual was found to be involved in the offence, that protection will be revoked.
"I can confirm that a lawyer who represented the client has met with MACC senior officers at the agency's headquarters on Oct 30 where they discussed about the purported evidence.
"My officers however were only played an audio recording which is about 17-seconds long in which several people were heard having a conversation about money.
"The lawyer informed us that his client was ready to provide us with some evidence, but he wanted us to first sign an agreement saying that he won't be investigated.
"My officers disagreed, as this is not the legal procedure MACC is required to follow."
He added that the lawyer also expressed a lack of trust in the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, believing it is inadequate and doesn't assure adequate protection for his client.
Azam however assured that the commission would only act according to the law to ensure the case is dealt with fairly and professionally and any alleged wrong doing is investigated thoroughly.