Media Statement – 2/12/2025
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must be placed under Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), who can INDEPENDENTLY receive complaints, investigate allegations of wrongdoings of MACC and its officers
Independence of MACC requires removal of PM’s powers to appoint Chief and Commissioners of MACC, Security of Tenure,..
MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture) is appalled by the response of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to the highlighting of alleged wrongdoings/crimes and the manner in which businessman and whistleblower Albert Tei Jiann Cheing was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as reported in media reports.
He[Albert Tei] was arrested after "masked officers" forced their way into his home…. Tei was later escorted out of the house in handcuffs and surrounded by armed personnel wearing balaclavas…"I was denied entry and prevented from meeting my client despite identifying myself as counsel. "No officers had identified themselves….” he [His lawyer Zaid Malek] said in a statement on Friday (Nov 28). “I do not even know for sure if they are police or MACC officers," {Star, 28/11/2025)
Businessperson Albert Tei’s wife alleged that MACC officers were heavy-handed when raiding her home today, with the officers pointing a gun at the former before handcuffing him…“Soon, he was instructed to lie on the floor, and a few officers handcuffed him, with one pointing a gun at Tei from a distance,” Lee told Malaysiakini….Subsequently, she claimed that the officers confiscated their mobile phones, including the children’s, purportedly to delete videos and images from the devices.(Malaysiakini, 28/11/2025)
In response to Zaid asking if he was being arrested, Tei said, "They broke into my house, broke down my door, (pointed) six pistols at my head. "Six pistols at my head, as if I were a terrorist! That is the consequence of exposing leaders at the top."… “Not a single MACC or police officer showed me their authority card. “I asked them repeatedly where (Tei) was being taken to, and not a single officer informed me (of the details),” he stated. .(Malaysiakini, 28/11/2025)
Lawyers for Albert Tei have condemned the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after its officers removed a CCTV decoder and deleted the contents of mobile phones belonging to the businessman's family members, shortly before masked gunmen from the agency took him away to an undisclosed location today.(MalaysiaNow, 28/11/2025)
The manner of arrest raises questions about legality, and also whether it was too ‘extreme’ possibly with sending the message to the public at large of what may happen to any who dare raise allegations of wrongdoing about the Prime Minister, MACC Chief and/or the MACC. Was there any similar method used in the past when MACC arrested a suspect?
Arrest, Balaclava and Failure to Identify despite being asked
The manner in which the arrest was carried out, by these UNIDENTIFIED allegedly officers of MACC wearing ‘balaclava’, using an unmarked vehicle is a blatant violation of the law and is something law enforcement officers must never do. The law is most clear that MACC officers must identify themselves.
Section 8 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 - Every officer and junior officer of the Commission when acting under this Act shall, on demand, declare his office and produce to the person against whom he is acting or from whom he seeks any information the authority card issued to him under this Act. This should apply to the lawyers of person being arrested too.
All police and law enforcement officers must TRANSPARENTLY carry out their official duties, meaning they must be wearing their official uniforms, identify themselves (name, rank and show their authority card) for to hide their identity raises serious doubts as to whether they are really police or law enforcement officers or some ‘gangsters’ pretending to be law enforcement.
The inability to identify clearly the officer/s involved is also prejudicial to victims who will not even be able to identify in court the ‘officer’ who may have broken the law and/or violated their rights, including torture or worse.
This is in contradiction also in the policy of installing CCTVs and body cams on law enforcement officers, to ensure that law enforcement officers strictly comply with the law, and do not ‘bend’ or violate the law. If MACC did not later acknowledge the arrest, we would still be at a loss as to who were these unidentifiable gang that arrested Albert Tei, and if Albert Tei disappeared, we would be faced with yet another case of ‘enforced disappearance’.
ARREST and NO Violence if the suspect submits to being arrested
When the police or in this case, MACC officers come to arrest a person – there should be no use of force if the person who is to be arrested agrees to be arrested. And, if the person who is to be arrested resist, then only reasonable force – using of guns when a person is not even armed with a stick may be unreasonable.
Section 15 Criminal Procedure Code is most clear ‘(1) In making an arrest the police officer or other person making the same shall actually touch or confine the body of the person to be arrested unless there is a submission to the custody by word or action. (2) If such person forcibly resists the endeavour to arrest him or attempt to evade the arrest such officer or other person may use all means necessary to effect the arrest...’
In the case of Albert Tei, a recognized ‘whistleblower’, a mere summons to come to the MACC for the purpose of investigation would reasonably suffice – was there really any need for such a raid, using ‘balaclava’ to prevent identification, the refusal to show their authority card, alleged use of guns and non-provision of cooperation/information to the lawyers of the suspect?
It becomes most difficult now for even witnesses, including the lawyers, to clearly identify any of these alleged officers if they broke the law.
Access to Lawyers
Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution states, that ‘Where a person is arrested, he shall be informed as soon as may be of the grounds of his arrest and shall be allowed to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.’
In this case, the lawyer was present when he was being arrested and when the police were searching the premises, thus the police need to corporate with lawyers, explaining also the grounds of arrest, showing the arrest warrant and search warrant, and also providing the lawyers a copy of all items that were taken by the MACC officers. On request by the lawyer, as to where the suspect is being taken, the MACC officers must inform the lawyers. After all, it is established in Malaysia, that the arrestee and/or suspect should never be questioned or asked to sign any document without first being able to consult with his legal practitioner of his choice. In the case of Albert Tei, he has lawyers, amongst others Zaid Malek and Mahajoth Singh.
The purpose of a search and seizure is to obtain and preserve evidence not destroy evidence, and it is crucial that lawyer, who was reported to be present at the scene, should have not just been provided with a full list of evidence found and taken from Albert Tei, but also be allowed to confirm the evidence actually seized.
Law Enforcement Should Protect Evidence, never destroy evidence.
MADPET is extremely concerned about the allegation that phones of the wife and children were seized at the scene, ‘…purportedly to delete videos and images from the devices…’, and so to were CCTV decoders. These are material evidence of also possible ‘wrongdoings’ of MACC officers during the arrest and seizure.
It is noted that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has denied claims of misconduct during the arrest of businessman Albert Tei on Friday, including allegations that officers pointed a gun at him, and have also made a police report to investigate what the MACC called false claims and stop the spread of inaccurate information. (Edge, 28/11/2025)
What is the basis of MACC’s denial of misconduct – were there any investigations? Were CCTV and body-cam recordings scrutinized? Was the one’s who highlighted alleged misconduct even called in to consider his/her evidence.
From the media reports, it seems that MACC or its Chief Commissioner’s Azam Baki’s conclusions that MACC did no wrong may be premature, and possibly biased by the belief that its own officers will do no wrong. Such allegations must be independently investigated, not by MACC, being the alleged ‘perpetrator’, but maybe the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM).
PM’s Role In Choosing MACC Chief Commissioner and Commissioners Must be Removed
Noting, the Prime Minister is empowered to choose the Chief Commissioner, as stated in Section 5(1) Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which states that ‘the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall, on the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint a Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for such period and on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the instrument of appointment.’, and the fact that during the premiership of Anwar Ibrahim, Azam Baki is now enjoying the third extension of tenure as the MACC chief commissioner, which will end on 12/5/2026, where Azam may be re-appointed again.
Did this fact impact on the independence and professionalism of the Chief Commissioner of MACC more so when the allegations implicate PM Anwar Ibrahim himself, directly or indirectly? Would MACC Chief be concerned about his potential renewal of contract as MACC Chief when there is an allegation implicating the Prime Minister and/or his MADANI government?
One notes that in this case, where the Prime Minister has been directly implicated as the allegations is not about just any politician or Minister, but the PM’s own political secretary. Further, in this case, there was also allegedly a video where allegations that ‘it was Shamsul and Anwar's idea that Tei secretly record his conversations with various Sabah politicians, adding that Shamsul had also spoken to Azam about the plan.’ (Malaysia Now, 28/11/2025). This was in relations to earlier released ‘explosive videos implicating Sabah Chief Minister and GRS chairman Hajiji Noor and 14 ruling politicians in corrupt practices – revealed that he had spent almost RM630,000 on Anwar's political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, in the hope that the latter would help him negotiate with Hajiji to recover the money he paid to several GRS politicians.’
This is a serious matter, as it suggests that said Albert Tei’s action of gathering evidence on ‘corrupt’ Sabah politicians were allegedly with the ‘knowledge’ or ‘blessings’ of Anwar and the MACC chief. Was this legal or illegal ‘entrapment’ to weed out the corrupt, or was it for some other purpose? Is this Anwar Ibrahim being serious about weeding out corruption at all levels?
Protection of Whistleblowers – Not Retaliation by MACC
MADPET believes that whistleblowers, human rights defenders and people who want expose wrongdoings, corruption, abuse of power, injustices, violation of rights and crimes need to be encouraged and protected from any retaliatory actions.
However, the recent action of making of a police report by MACC on making false statements/allegations in this case – even before the allegations are first properly investigated has a tendency of DETERING whistleblowers from exposing alleged wrongdoings especially of the Prime Minister or MACC itself.
It was just reported that that ‘no further action’ will be taken on Bloomberg, who in September 2024, published a report, quoting sources, that implicated Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki in “concerted abuse of investigative powers” concerning supposedly targeted probes by the graftbusters… Bloomberg’s report also claimed that Anwar had ordered Azam not to investigate the prime minister’s former aide, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, over the latter’s purchase of shares in HeiTech Padu Bhd. (Malaysiakini, 5/11/2025)
REFORMS needed to protect INDEPENDENCE of MACC
MADPET verily believes that there is a need for REFORM that will safeguard the independence of the MACC and all law enforcement Commissions and agencies, whereby the Prime Minister’s role in appointment must be removed. Further, there is a need for Security of Tenure, being the appointment shall be for period that ends only with Retirement Age, and there should be no possibility of extension of tenure to safeguard the INDEPENDENCE of law enforcement and the administration of criminal justice in Malaysia. Now, there is no security of tenure, as the law just says ‘for such period and on such terms and conditions’ which is vague, and this can also gives the power to the Prime Minister to be able to remove the MACC Chief anytime, possibly even when MACC starts to investigate the Prime Minister himself.
MADPET urges for an independent investigation to be made to verify how the arrest was made. Did the MACC officers wear balaclava, failed to ‘declare his office and produce to the person against whom he is acting or from whom he seeks any information the authority card issued to him under this Act’ and other alleged wrongdoing. It is ODD that no media report discloses even provides the name of the arresting officers, or the investigating officers. It is hoped that the arresting officers had body-cams and CCTV on their vehicles which would be evidence to prove that it was all done according to law.
The public will not be alright with the idea of MACC itself investigating allegations of wrongdoings of MACC or its officers. MACC, at present, is not under the EAIC, and thus MADPET calls for the MACC to be listed NOW as one of the Agencies under supervision of Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), thus allowing complaints about MACC and/or its officers to be lodged at the EAIC, who can INDEPENDENTLY investigate/inquire into such complaints and make a determination. The allegations highlighted by Albert Tei, and even Bloomberg before, seems to have just resulted in criminal investigations against the whistleblowers, and it seems that NO investigations were done on the alleged wrongdoings that implicated the Prime Minister, the MACC Chief Azam Baki and/or MACC or its officers. PM Anwar Ibrahim who was implicated in Albert Tei’s allegations have yet to be called in for investigations.
Charles Hector
For and on behalf of MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)
Albert Tei arrested after 'unidentified' officers in masks raid home
- Nation
-
Friday, 28 Nov 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Albert Tei is believed to have been detained after "masked officers" forced their way into his home.
His lawyer Zaid Malek said he arrived at his client’s residence to find officers forcing their way into the home before arresting and handcuffing Tei.
"I was denied entry and prevented from meeting my client despite identifying myself as counsel.
"No officers had identified themselves. Their failure to do so was high-handed and unlawful,” he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 28).
He alleged that officers only spoke to him after he took photographs of the incident, and that they “illegally” demanded access to his phone to view the images.
According to Zaid, Tei was later escorted out of the house in handcuffs and surrounded by armed personnel wearing balaclavas.
“It was as if they were arresting a terrorist.
“I do not even know for sure if they are police or MACC officers," he said.
Zaid described the events as a breach of Tei’s constitutional rights, claiming that due process had been ignored and his client’s right to legal counsel denied.
He also questioned why action was being taken against a whistleblower rather than the individual Tei had reportedly provided information about — the Prime Minister’s former political secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
As of press time, the MACC has not issued a statement regarding the arrest or the allegations raised by Zaid. - Star, 28/11/2025
'What are you trying to hide?' MACC slammed for removing CCTV, erasing phones after breaking into Tei's home
The wife of businessman Albert Tei says her recording of the conduct of armed and masked officers inside their house was also deleted.
Lawyers for Albert Tei have condemned the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after its officers removed a CCTV decoder and deleted the contents of mobile phones belonging to the businessman's family members, shortly before masked gunmen from the agency took him away to an undisclosed location today.
This follows a police report lodged by Tei's wife, Lee Pei Rie, hours after about a dozen officers broke into their home.
Lee said she was recording the officers inside her home when she found her husband being forced to lie on the ground, surrounded by a group of armed men.
She said one of them then pointed a gun at her and forced her to surrender her phone.
"The phone was handed over to a Malay woman who forced me to unlock it, and then she deleted the video I had recorded," she said in her report.
Also read:
- 6 guns pointed at me, says Tei as masked officers nab man who exposed PMO scandal
- MACC arrests Tei in sudden raid amid explosive graft scandal at PMO
- Hands off, lawyer tells Azam as new video taints MACC boss with latest PMO scandal
Lee said her mother, her two children aged 13 and 10, a 12-year-old niece, and her maid were also told to unlock their phones and leave them on a table.
"We were all forced to give access to the phones found in my house, including my phone and the phones belonging to my mother, my children, my niece and my maid," she said in the report lodged with Petaling Jaya police.
Lawyers Mahajoth Singh and Zaid Malek, who accompanied Lee, said the action amounted to destroying crucial evidence regarding the conduct of the officers.
"There is a CCTV directly pointing to the living room when all this transpired. So there would have been a recording that would show whether or not guns were pointed at him and his wife. The evidence was taken by MACC. Obviously, they are trying to hide something," Zaid told MalaysiaNow when contacted.
The dramatic events today unfolded as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces his greatest challenge following Tei's shocking exposé this week of high-level corruption involving the top office.
On Tuesday, Tei – the man behind explosive videos implicating Sabah Chief Minister and GRS chairman Hajiji Noor and 14 ruling politicians in corrupt practices – revealed that he had spent almost RM630,000 on Anwar's political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, in the hope that the latter would help him negotiate with Hajiji to recover the money he paid to several GRS politicians.
Shamsul has since resigned.
Tei showed proof that he paid for renovations, luxury gifts, tailored suits, appliances, furnishings for two properties, as well as cash totalling about RM350,000 for Shamsul.
He also released secretly recorded video of a conversation last week with a woman identified as Shamsul's proxy, who has since identified herself as Sofia Rini Buyong.
In the video, Sofia agreed with Tei's suggestion that the money and gifts he spent on Shamsul were in exchange for help in speaking to Hajiji to recover monies paid to ruling Sabah politicians.
Sofia said it was Shamsul and Anwar's idea that Tei secretly record his conversations with various Sabah politicians, adding that Shamsul had also spoken to Azam about the plan.
She later denied everything she was heard agreeing with Tei, adding that it was a conspiracy to undermine the government.
Both Shamsul and Sofia are also currently in MACC's custody. -Malaysia Now, 28/11/2025
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has denied claims of misconduct during the arrest of businessman Albert Tei on Friday, including allegations that officers pointed a gun at him.
In a statement, it said a police report has been filed to investigate what the MACC called false claims and stop the spread of inaccurate information.
"A police report was lodged today to enable the relevant authorities to investigate the defamatory allegations made against the MACC officer involved," the MACC said
"The
police report is also to ensure that no parties spread any unverified
information that may be intended to disrupt the investigation being
carried out by the MACC,” it added.
The commission stressed that the arrest at Tei’s home was conducted
“according to procedures”, rejecting assertions made earlier by Tei’s
lawyer, Zaid Malek, that officers acted in a “high-handed and unlawful”
manner.
Zaid had alleged that officers forced their way into the Puchong residence, denied Tei access to legal counsel, refused to identify themselves, and attempted to seize his mobile phone when he began documenting the incident.
He further claimed that Tei was escorted out “as if they were arresting a terrorist”, surrounded by armed personnel wearing balaclavas, and that the arresting team did not disclose whether they were police or MACC officers. Several clips of the arrest have since circulated across social media platforms.
However, Malaysiakini quoted another lawyer for Tei, Mahajoth Singh, as saying the MACC team had a warrant to conduct the raid. - Edge, 28/11/2025
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has classified the police probe into a Bloomberg report last year alleging the prime minister had interfered in MACC affairs as “no further action” (NFA).
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said the NFA directive from the AGC came after it determined that there was “insufficient evidence” to pursue charges.
“However, criminal cases, unlike civil cases, are not subject to a limitation period,” Azalina said in a written parliamentary reply yesterday in response to a query from PAS’ Besut MP Che Zulkifly Jusoh, referring to defamation under Section 499 of the Penal Code.
“Therefore, should there be any new developments in the future, further investigation and review of this case may still be carried out,” she added.
The minister noted that the police investigation paper was submitted to the AGC for further action following a report lodged by the MACC with the police.
Media Council
Azalina also said that the matter of such reporting can be referred to the Malaysian Media Council.
“The Malaysian Media Council Act 2025 was passed by Parliament and came into force on June 14.
“Therefore, any issues related to media reporting, including journalistic ethics, can be referred to the council as a monitoring body tasked with strengthening professionalism and accountability within the media industry in our country,” she added.
She further reiterated assurances that while the government remains determined to defend the public’s right to freedom of speech, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, the right is not absolute.
Bloomberg report
In September last year, Bloomberg published a report, quoting sources, that implicated Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki in “concerted abuse of investigative powers” concerning supposedly targeted probes by the graftbusters.
The alleged political persecution was said to be focused on former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, whose widow, Na’imah Abdul Khalid, had lodged a police report against Anwar over the claims.
However, the police and the AGC have since classified Na’imah’s report as also NFA.
Bloomberg’s report also claimed that Anwar had ordered Azam not to investigate the prime minister’s former aide, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, over the latter’s purchase of shares in HeiTech Padu Bhd.
The technology services provider is linked to the development of the government’s RM1 billion immigration system. - Malaysiakini, 5/11/2025
