Most graft charges in Malaysia don't stick - PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 5 (Reuters) Malaysia's prime minister responded to the biggest crisis facing his three-year-old anti-corruption drive today by dismissing 85 per cent of graft allegations as baseless.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who won a landslide election victory in 2004 with a pledge to tackle corruption, also resisted calls for two of his top anti-corruption lieutenants to step down after they themselves were accused of graft.

The head of the Anti-Corruption Agency and the deputy minister in charge of police have both denied the allegations, and Abdullah has ordered full investigations. The two men continue to serve in their posts, pending the outcome.

''Based on records, about 85 per cent of the complaints are baseless,'' Abdullah told his monthly briefing of civil servants, including Anti-Corruption Agency chief Zulkipli Mat Noor.

Abdullah added that he could only take action based on evidence, not perceptions. ''This is crucial. We are always cautious in such matters,'' he said.

After a good start, Abdullah's anti-graft campaign has lately seemed to run out of steam. Despite numerous investigations into complaints of official corruption since he took office, high-profile prosecutions for graft have been rare.

Corruption has hogged the headlines after police last week began to investigate a complaint over the wealth of Zulkipli, and a deputy minister made a public denial of speculation that he had been bribed to free suspects from jail.

Yesterday, Deputy Minister of Internal Security Mohamad Johari Baharum said he was the apparent target of media reports that an unnamed senior politician was bribed to release suspects, and denied taking bribes of 5.5 million ringgit.

''The allegation on a Web site and in a newspaper report today is apparently directed at me but it has been made without basis and proof,'' Bernama quoted the deputy minister as saying.

The opposition called on both men to step down until the investigations were complete.

''This would avoid all perceptions about the lack of independence, diligence and professionalism of an investigation involving the deputy minister as well as release the Abdullah administration from the taint of corruption,'' opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said in a statement.

A former Malaysian head of graft monitor Transparency International said the ACA chief should also go on leave or else he risked being accused of obstructing the investigation.

''Transparency is the key to accountability,'' Tunku Abdul Aziz wrote in a letter to the New Straits Times.

Abdullah must take firm action to dispel concerns of corruption, one analyst said.

''What is more important is to take action when action is required,'' analyst and political activist Chandra Muzaffar said.

''You must act without fear or favour. If you are prepared to act, then the people will respect you.'' Reuters AKJ DB1232