The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has denied the Bar Council’s claim that the agency’s calling up of two lawyers of a businessman linked to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) for questioning was intimidation.

“It is not the intention of MACC to intimidate anybody in the process of our investigation,” said head of corporate communications Azmi Alias in a statement today.

NONEYesterday Bar Council chairperson Lim Chee Wee demanded MACC withdraw their notice calling lawyers Latheefa Koya (right) and Murnie Hidayah Anuar in for questioning.

The duo are legal counsel for businessman Shamsubahrin Ismail, who has been charged with cheating NFC chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail of RM1.755 million.

Mohamad Salleh has himself been charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust and another two counts of violating the Companies Act.

“MACC has clear reasons and strong justifications for calling both parties in helping us in the investigation,” said Azmi.

“We understand the concern of the Bar Council,” he said, adding that the matter has been raised to the attorney-general and the Anti-corruption Advisory Board.

The AG, he said, will “discuss the matter” with the Bar Council.

Azmi however did not indicate whether MACC intends to honour Lim’s call to withdraw the notice to the lawyers.

Instead he simply said that the advisory board has “advised MACC to have a special discussion with the Bar Council on the rationale for calling these witnesses (the lawyers)”.

NONEThe two laywers, both members of PKR, accompanied Shamsubahrin (left in photo) when MACC questioned the latter for five hours on March 19.

Initially the MACC wanted to bar the lawyers from accompanying the businessman, saying that if they wanted to be present the commission would require them to give their statements as well.

Lim yesterday blasted the MACC’s actions as “tantamount to harassment of lawyers”, that made “mockery of the fundamental principle of solicitor-client confidentiality by which lawyers are bound”.