Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government would not interfere with the authorities’ investigation into opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.
He said he had no knowledge of the Inland Revenue Board’s raid at the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general’s residence.
“The matter is under the jurisdiction of the IRB.
“The investigation is the prerogative of the authorities.
“I was not informed about the matter,” he said after performing Friday prayers today.
He was asked to comment on the raid at Hamzah’s residence in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, on Wednesday.
Online portal FMT quoted a Perikatan Nasional source as saying: “We do not know what was the reason behind the raid. Some documents were seized.”
Another PN source claimed that the authorities failed to find anything “negative” in Hamzah’s home.
“This (raid) is aimed at tarnishing our name and creating a negative perception against us,” said another source.
Hamzah had previously claimed that corruption allegations against him were “deliberately fabricated” to smear his name.
He also accused the government of using the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to “kill” the credibility of Bersatu and PN.
In May, businessman Sim Choo Thiam was charged with pressing for RM15 million from another businessman, Hep Kim Hong, purportedly back in June 2021.
The prosecution said such a sum was meant to be an inducement for Hamzah to assist Hep’s company, Asia Coding Sdn Bhd, in securing government projects from the Home Ministry, when Bersatu was in power.
The Star news portal reported sources as saying that the raid was believed to be over income Hamzah allegedly failed to declare.
“Hamzah was at home during the raid,” one source was quoted as saying.
“Files and documents on accounts and asset ownership were seized.”
Separately, the news outlet reported sources decrying the raid as political persecution, insisting that Hamzah’s tax filings were correct.
“The LHDN did not specify in detail the reason for the raid on whether or not it was regarding taxes involving a company or some projects.
“Hamzah is still waiting for documents from LHDN,” said a source.
Hamzah is the latest PN leader to be investigated over alleged financial irregularities.
PN chairman and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is already on trial for corruption and abuse while former Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan has been charged over the government’s Jana Wibawa scheme.