The government does not intend to prosecute International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Melaka chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik for corruption as the evidence against them was unsubstantiated.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim said today that the evidence did not fulfil the standard of proof in order to bring the duo to court.

"Therefore, the investigations on the two cases have been dropped," he stated in a written reply in Parliament.

"According to his discretion, the Attorney-General (Abdul Gani Patail) under Section 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution has no plans to challenge the decision made on those two cases," he said.

Rais, who is also de facto law minister, was responding to a query from opposition member of Parliament, Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka) on Oct 3.

OSA conviction

Kerk had raised the question in view of Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mod Nor's recent conviction under the Official Secrets Act for disclosing classified documents regarding the probe into the two ministers.

Mohd Ezam, who is serving a two-year jail term for the offence, had leaked a document from the Prosecution Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers at a press conference in Nov 1999.

The document, dated March 14, 1995, stated there was prima facie basis to prosecute Rafidah on five counts of corruption under Section 2(2), Ordinance 11, 1970 of the Corruption Act.

Signed by Abdul Gani, who was then public prosecutor, the document also stated the AG's Chambers and the Anti-Corruption Agency concluded by June 1994 that there was a prima facie case to prosecute Rahim, on four charges of corruption.

The ACA decision was based on the information supplied to the agency by Lim Guan Eng, the former DAP MP for Kota Melaka.