The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), in a press release on Saturday, stated that it has initiated an investigation into a former finance minister and close ally of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Abdul Daim bin Zainuddin, under the country’s laws related to abuse of power and money laundering.

The MACC emphasized that it had not officially accused Zainuddin of any offenses. The investigation, initiated in February 2023 based on information from the Pandora Papers, involves a request for Zainuddin to declare all assets within 30 days, with multiple extensions granted. The MACC underscored its independence and adherence to legal principles and urged against speculation, emphasizing the need for uninterrupted investigations.

Zainuddin, in a statement on Thursday, labeled the MACC investigation against him and his family a “political witch hunt.” He asserted that neither he nor his family had been involved in any corruption or wrongdoing. Zainuddin claimed that the MACC rebuffed his efforts to establish the alleged offenses behind the probe. He also accused Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of interfering in the investigation by making unsubstantiated insinuations against him.

In December, the MACC seized the 58-story Ilham Tower, a commercial property in Kuala Lumpur reportedly owned by Zainuddin’s family, according to reports from local media. The seizure allegedly occurred after Zainuddin refused to submit to the MACC’s petition to declare his and his family’s financial holdings.