ACA DG 'leaps into the fire from the frying pan' on that 2 PKR State Exco issue...

ACA DG's effort to try convince Malaysians that arrest of the 2 PKR State Exco members 'has nothing to do with politics' just further reinforces the believe that the ACA may have sold its soul to the 'devil'.

If it was a normal usual arrest for the purposes of investigations - there would not have been a Press Statement issued. Remember, they are just suspected of being involved is some corruption at this stage. Are they corrupt? Well, the ACA is still investigating. Maybe they are just persons who may be able to assist in the ACA investigations - i.e. witnesses.

Oh yes, the police/ACA do not just arrest suspects - they also arrest witnesses (or people who, they believe, will be able to help in the investigations) - strange, is it not?

As I mentioned earlier, a notice requiring the attendance to assist in the investigations would have been sufficient - no necessity really to arrest at this stage. They did not do an 'Anwar' by not turning up after being notified that their presence is required to assist in some investigation.

And would these persons now arrested and being detained, i.e. them EXCO members (and the others) run and flee the country....I do not think so.

Do the police/ACA have the power to arrest and detain persons like this -- oh yes they do have - and that is why the law must be reformed --- amended. (See my earlier post for some of my suggestions for reform).

Even if you did arrest, there was no need to go to the media and publicize it --- ACA cannot deny this because they did prepare and issue a Kenyataan Media (Media Statement) - which went into details of the alleged corruption being investigated. Why? [Malaysiakini did publish the full statement]

Remember - in the case of Anwar - there was great secrecy about the contents of even Saiful's police report (which is a public document) - but here the whole world knows almost the full details of the alleged crime.

Now, ACA DG comes out again today in the press saying that the arrest and its timing had nothing to do with politics...This attempt to salvage spilled milk just makes matters worse for the ACA..

The arrest of the two Perak executive council members by the Perak Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has nothing to do with politics, the agency’s Director-General Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan said Thursday.

He said he was disappointed with allegations by certain quarters who accused the agency of deliberately detaining the two men when there was by-election fever in the country. “I am disappointed when the ACA is accused of conspiracy, scheming with the ruling party, that is not true. This is a criminal case. We have nabbed many people ... Director-General of Immigration and senior police officers. - Star Online, 21/8/2008 - ACA DG: Arrest of Exco members not politically motivated

He should not have even come out and responded - or is it just a case of 'siapa makan cili dia rasa pedas' (he who eats chily will feel the chilly hot - a very bad translation).

Here, he goes further and apparently blurts out to the press --- we have proof - and that the ACA have conducted investigations for 3 months

WHY is the DG of the ACA telling us all this now?

The investigation is still on-going, and the arrest is to facilitate investigations into determining the truth. Is the DG now implying that they are really the 'suspects', and not just witnesses?

The proof is there so we arrest them,” he told reporters after attending a forum titled ‘Independent Anti-Corruption Commission: Towards Effectively Combating Corruption and Enhancing Integrity’ at the Integrity Institute of Malaysia here Thursday.

Ahmad Said said the ACA conducted investigations on both the Exco members for more than three months and it was a coincidence that the arrests were made close to the by-election.- Star Online, 21/8/2008 - ACA DG: Arrest of Exco members not politically motivated

If the proof is there, why not just charge them in court? End of story...

What you are doing now is violating the rights of the 2 PKR State Exco members, and them others. You are slinging mud at them in the wrong forum - it is becoming a trial by media.

The proper way of doing things is investigate - and if there is sufficient evidence, then charge them in court - and bring forth all them evidence in court. Let them who have been charged defend themselves in court.

The ACA and its DG should not be going to the media at this stage - it is not at all proper.

From the frying pan, the ACA DG has jumped into the fire -- and now, I believe, that more people are going to believe that the whole arrest and the timing of the arrest is really politically motivated.

I fully agree with the DG when he says “Just because of the election (it does not mean) we put aside the case till later...." - but there is proper way of doing things...

Is it becoming the trend that DGs are now going to the media and making statements with regard to on-going criminal investigations. If I am not wrong, the Health DG(Merican) also went to the media even before Anwar was charged... now we have the ACA DG.

I believe that the fumble on the part of the ACA, and now its Director General is significant enough for the ACA DG to be removed, or for him to resign.

It is most important that ACA be seen as independent - and not politically motivated.

ACA must also be professional...and behave professionally....and I believe that they have failed here.

And guess what, this issue is already being used by the BN in its campaign in Permatang Pauh....

...Citing the arrests of two PKR Perak executive councillors by the Anti-Corruption Agency yesterday, he [Khairy Jamaluddin - the Prime Minister's son-in-law] chided the opposition party for being inconsistent in their graft-busting campaign... -Malaysiakini, 21/8/2008 - Khairy: We've come to 'bury' Anwar

In any event, even if the 2 are found guilty ultimately by a fair and open court, some bad apples would not make the whole bunch bad...

OR....would the other saying be more appropriate - 'It is just the tip of the iceberg...