A partner of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition today urged the government to provide the Anti-Corruption Agency with more powers in carrying out its tasks.

Gerakan vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam said that additional powers for the ACA will give the graft watchdog more clout and will facilitate speedier investigation and prosecution.

"One (such powers) would be to have the power of immediate arrest without having to depend too much on the police," he said in a statement today.

Vijayaratnam also suggested that the Attorney-General's Chambers - which decides on whether to charge suspects after receiving ACA's investigation reports - should designate a special section in its office to deal solely on corruption cases.

The special unit, he said, will expedite prosecution against suspected wrongdoers.

Vijayaratnam, who is also a senator, hailed the pledge by the ACA earlier this week that it would adopt a number of measures to address public concern for more transparency.

The anti-corruption agency said that all complainants would now be informed on the status of its investigations into their reports.

The agency also pledged that heads of government departments would be kept up to speed on investigations involving their subordinates, and it would also issue statements about cases that are still under investigation.

Confidence for businesses

Vijayaratnam said that it is important that ACA is seen to be transparent as this will encourage local and foreign companies to be more confident when investing and doing business in the country.

"They (businesses) must have the assurance that the process is transparent and above board, and that underhand payments and related tactics to get things moving are unnecessary, and indeed, will not be tolerated at all by the authorities," he added.

Yesterday, opposition party DAP has sought to put ACA's new policy to the test by challenging the body to reveal the outcome of its investigation into former MCA leader Ling Liong Sik

Party leader Lim Kit Siang said he was seeking an urgent meeting with the agency's director-general, Zulkipli Mat Noor, to find out the outcome of his report to ACA six years ago.

Lim has filed a report to the agency on June 13, 1997, to investigate how Ling Hee Leong, son of the then MCA chief, could - at the age of 27 - embark on a RM1.2 billion corporate acquisitions.

The opposition leader had asked ACA to determine whether there had been any improper use of Ling's influence as party chief and cabinet minister - he was then transport minister - to secure mega-loans for his son's astounding business ventures.