KUALA LUMPUR: Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, wants a multi-agency task force to investigate the alleged abuse of power in the highest levels of government.
This task force, she said, should emulate the one set up by Bank Negara to probe the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
Daim's lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, speaking to reporters on his client's behalf, said the task force should be helmed by a higher-ranking police officer.
"We want a task force to be set up to investigate this report. Previously when the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal happened, a task force was set up by Bank Negara.
"We want a task force, with a higher ranking police officer investigating it, not an inspector. It has to be a task force inclusive of several enforcement bodies so they have the power to summon witnesses and question the prime minister.
"This is a serious allegation made by a reputable news agency, Bloomberg. A multiple-agency task force must be set up to probe the report," he said.
Rajesh was speaking to reporters outside the Sentul police headquarters today (Oct 01), where Na'imah was summoned to have her statement recorded after she had lodged a police report yesterday.
Meanwhile, Na'imah said she fielded 20 questions from the police during the two-hour statement recording session.
"Two hours. They asked me why I made the report. Asked me around 20 questions. They asked me about the Bloomberg report and the purpose of my police report.
"I said I want the police to probe the Bloomberg report which mentioned the abuse of power, I told the police they have to investigate the content of the (Bloomberg) report," she said.
Na'imah said she also asked the police whether they would take a statement from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the alleged abuse of power.
"I asked them when are you going to take the statement from Anwar? They said they are waiting for further instructions."
Na'imah lodged a report yesterday after a Bloomberg article, citing sources, claimed that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was instructed to investigate Daim as well as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his sons.
According to the article, the instruction was purportedly given by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a claim the Prime Minister's Office has denied.
MACC on Friday also denied receiving directives on its investigations.
The commission said all enforcement actions were taken "without fear or favour" and interference from any party.