MACC chief says no asset declaration notice was served on ex-minister Saravanan’s 12-year-old son

On October 1, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) clarified that it did not serve an asset declaration notice on ex-minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan's 12-year-old son. The commission's chief commissioner, Abd Halim Aman, explained that the decision was based on discretion and reasonable judgment. According to MACC's practices, asset declaration notices are issued under Section 36(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA), not under the MACC Act itself.

The notices are directed towards relatives or associates, but specific age categories are not mentioned in the law. In the case of the 12-year-old child, the commission exercised its discretion and decided not to serve the notice. Abd Halim clarified that the boy's presence at MACC headquarters did not imply he had been summoned to receive a notice, as he was there as a companion to his parents.

The MACC gave the recipients one month to submit their asset declarations, with the option to extend the period if necessary. Saravanan had previously criticized the handling of the matter, claiming that his son had been affected by the publicity surrounding the asset declaration process and was reluctant to attend school. Nevertheless, the ex-minister expressed willingness to cooperate with the commission and provide information on assets held by him and his family.