Saravanan questions MACC over son's presence at headquarters

Former Malaysian Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has expressed concern over his 12-year-old son's presence at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya. Saravanan dismissed the commission's explanation, stating that it was "entirely illogical" to involve a minor in such circumstances. He argued that it was "regrettable" for an agency with substantial investigative powers to fail to demonstrate basic discretion and common sense when dealing with a 12-year-old child.

According to MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman, the boy accompanied his parents to the MACC headquarters as their companion and not to receive an asset declaration notice. Halim's claim that the children had "no one left at home" and therefore "came along as usual" was deemed irrelevant and dismissive by Saravanan. He argued that this stance deflects from the administrative oversight involved in requiring a minor to attend an anti-corruption headquarters for official investigative procedures.

Saravanan and his family visited the MACC headquarters on Monday to receive asset declaration notices as part of the commission's ongoing investigation into alleged corruption linked to the approval of foreign worker quotas. Halim had previously stated that the agency had used its discretion and "considered what was reasonable" in deciding not to serve an asset declaration notice on Saravanan's son.

However, Saravanan questioned why such discretion had not been exercised earlier and deemed requiring a child to be served a legal notice in person to be an "excess of statutory power." He had previously raised concerns about the matter before visiting the MACC headquarters with his family.