PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA March 4, 2026 – Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) refers to the recent public statement by Chai Jin Shern (James Chai), who has attempted to portray himself as a victim of enforcement action by the Commission.
The MACC views the statement seriously, as several claims made are inaccurate, misleading, and create a false impression among the public regarding the investigation procedures carried out by the MACC.
Accordingly, several facts need to be clarified.
The press conference in question was the MACC’s regular monthly media briefing, held periodically to inform the media of developments in several ongoing investigations.
Among the cases discussed were Op Middlemen, which successfully exposed a middleman syndicate that facilitated bribery to enforcement officers to allow heavy vehicles to violate road safety regulations; the illegal e-waste case involving investigations into the Department of Environment; Op Heart; investigations involving IJM; and Op Godfather related to the case of Toh Puan Nai’mah Ab Khalid, her family members, and associates.
Therefore, the claim that the press conference was held solely to target James Chai is untrue and completely baseless.
Individual Tracing Notice Is a Standard Investigation Procedure
The issuance of an Individual/Witness Tracing Notice to Assist Investigation is a standard investigation procedure used by the MACC and other enforcement agencies.
Such notices are only issued after various attempts to contact the individual concerned have failed, including through telephone calls, visits to the last known address, or other reasonable methods.
It must be emphasised that a Tracing Notice is not a criminal charge and does not in any way imply that the individual has committed an offence. It is merely a step to locate an individual required to assist in an investigation.
In the current investigation, a total of 12 individuals, including a Federal Minister, have been called and have all cooperated fully with the MACC. If James Chai has nothing to hide, he should come forward to provide cooperation.
For information, the MACC issues an average of two to five Individual Tracing Notices per week, depending on investigation needs.
Efforts to Contact James Chai
MACC investigating officers made several attempts to contact James Chai, who was detected to be in the United Kingdom, before the notice was issued. Starting from 24 February 2026, the investigating officer contacted the WhatsApp number belonging to James Chai, but received no reply.
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach him, the investigating officer’s number was eventually blocked by Chai’s line on 26 February 2026.
Thus, the claim that the MACC did not attempt to contact him before issuing the notice is completely untrue.
Attempts to portray a routine investigation procedure as an act of oppression against an individual are unwarranted and malicious in intent.
Such a narrative not only confuses the public but also has the potential to undermine public confidence in legitimate law enforcement processes, especially while investigations are still ongoing.
The MACC reaffirms that the Commission always upholds the principle of presumption of innocence — that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, being called to assist in an investigation does not mean the person is guilty or has committed an offence.
The MACC stresses that no one is above the law. The investigation process will continue to be conducted professionally and based on evidence, and any individual called to assist an investigation should provide full cooperation to the authorities, rather than avoiding it or deliberately creating a confusing public narrative.
As a citizen, it is James Chai’s duty and responsibility to cooperate with the authorities when required, rather than offering unreasonable excuses and creating negative perceptions towards law enforcement agencies.
The MACC will continue to carry out its responsibilities professionally, independently, evidence-based, and in accordance with the rule of law, without fear or favour.
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The issue stems from an ongoing investigation related to the Malaysian government’s agreement with Arm Limited (a UK-based technology company), reportedly valued at RM1.1 billion, in which Chai was previously involved as a former special officer to Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli during his tenure as Minister of Economy. Chai had earlier denied any wrongdoing and criticised the issuance of the notice as excessive and potentially defamatory.
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