SPRM salah guna kuasa panggil bekas menteri, keluarga, dakwa Waytha

Parti Kemajuan Malaysia (MIC) president Waytha Moorthy has accused Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Agency (SPRM) of misusing its power after calling a former minister to the agency's headquarters to serve a notice of asset declaration. Moorthy claimed that Section 36 of the SPRM Act does not give the agency the power to compel someone's presence for the purpose of serving a notice related to the matter.

He specifically mentioned M Saravanan and his family, stating, "The power to obtain information is not a license to impose unnecessary legal action upon the public, especially a 12-year-old child."

Earlier today, Saravanan appeared at SPRM's headquarters in Putrajaya with his wife and two of his children to receive a notice requiring them to declare their assets. Saravanan questioned the decision to call his 12-year-old son to the agency to receive the asset declaration notice, arguing that the notice could have been delivered to him as his father. "Why should a 12-year-old child have to attend? Why put a child in a state of worry and distress?" Moorthy said to FMT.

Under Section 36(1)(b) of the SPRM Act 2009, a senior SPR officer or higher-ranking official can request an individual or relative of someone being investigated to provide a written statement under oath or affirmation if there is reasonable ground to believe that the person possesses property connected to the wrongdoing. Failure to comply with such a written notice constitutes an offense.

SPR chief Abd Halim Aman said on Friday that the agency would issue notices to Saravanan, his wife, and their three children to declare their respective assets. The family has been given 30 days to make the required declarations, with additional time granted if necessary.