KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) reiterated today it has yet to open any investigation paper into the 101 projects awarded through direct negotiation under the former Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.

Its chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said this is due to the fact that it has been difficult to identify those involved.

"It is not easy to identify which companies are involved in the abuse of power and corruption,” he told reporters after participating in a Transparency International forum on corporate liability here.

Azam declined to comment further, saying the commission is still looking into things.

Earlier this month, Azam was quoted saying the same, explaining that MACC was still analysing all the projects concerned for elements of corruption or otherwise.    

Last month, the Ministry of Finance released the full list of 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion in total that were allegedly awarded through direct negotiations under the PH administration, following calls to do so by the latter.

The MACC then confirmed that it would be looking into the direct negotiation contracts for possible corruption, embezzlement or abuse of power after several NGOs had filed complaints with it.

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng has since explained that most of the projects that were procured through direct negotiations were not PH initiatives, but were instead inherited from the former Barisan Nasional government.