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No corruption found so far in Telekom inquiry -ACA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has not uncovered any corruption so far in its investigation of allegations Telekom Malaysia Bhd was paid kickbacks to win a contract in 1996, the chief investigator said on Wednesday.

"I don't see any corruption as it is now, unless the Japanese tax bureau can find out something," ACA federal investigation director Abdul Razak Idris told Reuters in Malaysia's capital.

Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun, citing the Tokyo regional taxation bureau, said on Friday that Mitsui & Co Ltd had paid about 300 million yen ($2.8 million) in kickbacks to the Malaysian side via a consultant firm in Malaysia that was a dummy company.

Telekom said on Tuesday it was investigating the allegations. Mitsui denied the allegations.

Malaysian Communications Minister Leo Moggie said on Tuesday that initial checks showed no apparent wrongdoing, and his ministry had asked Telekom for a report.

The New Straits Times newspaper said on Wednesday a senior Mitsui executive would assist the ACA in its investigation.

Asked to confirm that a Mitsui executive would arrive in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Abdul Razak said: "I hope they keep their promise."-Reuters