KUALA LUMPUR: No instructions were issued to halt or delay investigations into Zetrix AI Bhd and Felda, with the matters left to enforcement agencies to handle transparently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said that some investigations could take a long time but stressed that delays did not mean the government was shielding anyone from legal action.
Anwar said the Road Transport Department had lodged a police report over the Zetrix AI Bhd issue, while the Securities Commission Malaysia had also opened a file and begun investigating the matter.
"Were there instructions for the investigations to continue? Yes. Were there instructions to close them? No," he said during the Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) on the progress of investigations into several high-profile issues, including Zetrix AI Bhd, Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) and Felda.
On Felda, Anwar said a white paper on the matter was issued in 2019, but follow-up action only began after the current administration took office in 2022.
He said a special task force was formed to examine the issue, with the process taking about a year before an investigation paper was opened.
"The Felda investigation papers were referred repeatedly to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further scrutiny, contributing to the lengthy investigation process.
"I accept that delays may sometimes be criticised, but it is better to have action, even if delayed, than to have no action at all."
Anwar said he had no intention of using his powers to delay or obstruct any investigation conducted transparently and openly.
On TH, Anwar said its management had sought a deferment of action until its recovery efforts were completed, but he had insisted that investigations continue.
"Cabinet members know that the matter was raised at an early stage under the previous administration.
"When we took over, we asked for it to be brought before the cabinet. TH management then requested that action be deferred until its recovery efforts were completed.
"Whether that justification was acceptable is another matter. However, I agreed to the deferment on the condition that investigations continued," he said.
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