KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that its predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) had conducted an investigation into the sworn affidavit by former Bank Negara (BNM) deputy governor Datuk Abdul Murad Khalid, against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The MACC said in a statement today that the ACA had opened six investigation papers to probe Anwar following Murad's sworn affidavit issued on Oct 26, 1999.
"The investigation was conducted thoroughly, comprehensively and in detail with the assistance of BNM, including domestically and internationally, such as in the United Kingdom and Singapore.
"The results of the investigation showed no charges against Datuk Seri Anwar.
"As a result, these six investigation papers were submitted to the Attorney-General's office on Aug 12, 2002 and the Attorney-General's Chambers decided not to press charges against any party."
MACC said the remarks made by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his press conference yesterday can be characterised as an accusation.
"Tun Dr Mahathir has accused that the MACC did not investigate the matters raised in the sworn affidavit by Murad against Anwar," said the MACC.
It emphasised that the claim that the MACC or the ACA did not investigate Anwar regarding Murad's sworn affidavit is entirely untrue.
"Moreover, this occurred during Tun Dr Mahathir's leadership as the prime minister," it said.
Yesterday, Dr Mahathir had questioned the authorities' failure to investigate Murad regarding the sworn affidavit he made in 1999.
In his affidavit 24 years ago, Murad claimed that Anwar, who was then an opposition figure, had RM3 billion in over 20 bank accounts.