Transparency International chief Jose Ugaz delivers a speech at the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Putrajaya, September 2, 2015. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — Global watchdog Transparency International (TI) had chose the wrong place to criticise Malaysia over unresolved questions on a RM2.6 billion donation deposited into the prime minister’s private accounts, minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said today.

Abdul Rahman was referring to TI president Jose Ugaz’s speech on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) at Putrajaya.

“So, it was not the right place for the president of Transparency International to blurt out allegations like that, it’s been rebutted by the chief secretary anyway,” the minister of urban well-being, housing and local government told reporters here, referring to the Chief Secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa’s defence.

Abdul Rahman also said it was “out of place” for those at the anti-corruption conference to criticise the host country.

The three-day conference with the theme “Ending Impunity: People, Integrity, Action” was held jointly by the IACC, TI, TI Malaysia, MACC and the government of Malaysia.

On Wednesday, Ugaz said Malaysia will not progress in its fight against corruption if questions surrounding the RM2.6 billion amount remain unresolved.

Jose stressed that promises of reform by the government are insufficient to restore confidence and trust, as the pressing need now is for answers on the two questions of who paid the RM2.6 billion and the reason for it and where it went.

In his same response to the questions on the RM2.6 billion during the conference, Abdul Rahman praised instead the work of anti-corruption investigators who probe such allegations quietly.

“As far as I am concerned, any work on anti-corruption must be done quietly,” he said, having voiced approval for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s quiet investigations without media coverage.

“Because our experience with BPR before this was horrendous. BPR somehow used the media to show they are doing their work and sometimes it is misconstrued,” he said, referring to the MACC’s previous form, the Anti-Corruption Agency.

Abdul Rahman nodded at Hong Kong’s Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) for its professional and discreet investigation on suspected offenders and its practice of not speaking to the media about such probes.

“If the person is found not guilty, they will say ‘we are sorry, the case is closed’ and they are not going to cc it to any media or political parties.

“They do it quietly because they believe the maruah (dignity) of the person accused is also important,” he said.

Abdul Rahman also said the investigation into the RM2.6 billion donation is still being carried out and has not been shut down.

The MACC deputy commissioner Datuk Mustafar Ali declined on Thursday to disclose details of the probe, including whether Najib has been called in to explain the donation from an unnamed Middle Eastern source.