PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - The Anti-Corruption Agency has started a full-scale investigation into the report by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim alleging abuse of power by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

The investigation is led by ACA investigation director Datuk Shukri Abdull.

ACA director-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan yesterday confirmed that the ACA head office here had received Anwar's report from its Selangor office.

"We will investigate the matter without fear or favour and the investigation has started," he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the agency and the Customs Department at the latter's building.

Also present were Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid, ACA deputy director-general Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed and Shukri.
The former deputy prime minister had lodged the report at the Shah Alam police headquarters, alleging abuse of power by Musa and Abdul Gani in the infamous "black eye" case in 1998.

However, Anwar did not produce evidence to substantiate his claim against the two.

Anwar said he believed the investigation papers into his beating by the police concluded that the then IGP, Tan Sri Rahim Noor, was the perpetrator of the assault against him.

Two others implicated by Anwar were Dr Abdul Rahman Yusuf and the then investigating officer into the assault probe, Assistant Commissioner Mat Zain Ibrahim.

Anwar claimed that Mat Zain presented the investigation papers to the then attorney-general, the late Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah, and his team, which included Abdul Gani, then head of prosecution at the A-G's Chambers.

He charged that despite the contents of the investigation papers and medical reports, Mohtar and Gani had obtained the services of Dr Abdul Rahman.

Anwar also charged that Dr Abdul Rahman's report on the assault was done without examining him.

Ahmad Said said all the people implicated in the report, as well as Anwar, would be called to have their statements recorded by ACA officers.

He said the police would be seen as biased if they investigated the report as the police chief had been implicated.

"We will investigate it and we don't have a problem with that," he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 15 of the Anti-Corruption Act.

"We have got the report, so we have started the investigation and we will do it without fear or favour."

Ahmad Said said the ACA was still investigating Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee in connection with an alleged payment of RM5 million to his agents while serving as Sabah chief minister 12 years ago.

Former Sabah Land Development Board general manager Datuk Wasli Said, who is a witness in the ongoing corruption trial of Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam, had testified recently that Yong had directed him to make the payments.

The RM5 million was derived from the sale of Sapi Plantation shares in 1996.

Asked whether the ACA would investigate Barisan Nasional members of parliament said by Anwar to be crossing over to the opposition, Ahmad Said said: "We have been looking into this even before the general election.

"This is not the first time. Any offer made involving cash, we will investigate and we will continue doing it.

"There are lots of things to be done in our investigations. We have received lots of allegations and we are looking into all of them."