MACC debunks viral TikTok videos reviving false claims about Anwar and offshore accounts

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has issued a warning regarding the dissemination of false information online, specifically in response to recent allegations that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim possesses multiple foreign bank accounts. The claims have resurfaced through viral TikTok posts and reference a 2013 parliamentary assertion by former Gerakan MP Liang Teck Meng that Anwar owns 20 overseas accounts, including some in Israel.

The MACC stated that these allegations were previously investigated by its predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), in 1999, which found no evidence to support the claims. This conclusion was corroborated in a 2009 sworn declaration by the former ACA investigations director, Datuk Abdul Razak Idris. Additionally, the MACC noted that WikiLeaks has denied ever publishing a list of bank accounts attributed to Anwar, further discrediting the claims made during the parliamentary session, as highlighted in a Harian Metro article from October 5, 2018.

The agency cautioned the public against sharing unfounded information, emphasizing that such actions could lead to public confusion and harm reputations without just cause. The MACC assured that all investigations are conducted independently, transparently, and in accordance with the law.