KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's son-in-law Datuk Seri Muhammad Adlan Berhan has denied that he left Malaysia to escape questioning from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as claimed over irregularities concerning a lucrative government contract concerning foreign workers.

Lawyer Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu who is acting for Muhammad Adlan issued a statement strongly objecting to the MACC’s August 7 comments portraying his client as a fugitive who absconded from the country.

Baljit said Muhammad Adlan strongly rejects the insinuation that he is a "fugitive on the run”.

He added that Muhammad Adlan will return to Malaysia so long as he is not persecuted.

"Our client categorically states that he is innocent and is entitled not to be tried in the court of public opinion by any enforcement agencies. He is ready and willing to assist in any investigation and have full faith in the judicial process but at the same time will jealously protect his rights and liberty from being taken away not in accordance with law.

"Our client states that he will certainly return to Malaysia as soon as possible to answer all questions and to assist the MACC with any investigation so long as the elements of threats and persecution are eliminated,” Baljit said in a statement this afternoon.

The lawyer also said Muhammad Adlan has the right of movement and travel including overseas, as well as the right to conduct his business in any part of the world, just like any other free citizen of Malaysia.

Muhammad Adlan's exercise of such rights should not be seen as an attempt to avoid or stall investigation, Baljit said.

According to Baljit, Muhammad Adlan said he had previously left Malaysia lawfully, and that he was never arrested and never called by the MACC for a meeting or to assist in any investigations before he left.

While he was still abroad, Muhammad Adlan said an MACC officer had contacted him and that he had responded through a June 3, 2023 letter to the MACC, Baljit said.

"In that letter our client has stated that he is travelling overseas for business and will return once these affairs are attended to,” Baljit said.

He added that Muhammad Adlan had informed the MACC of a tentative date when he would be returning to Malaysia.

Baljit said Muhammad Adlan had also in the letter told the MACC that there was an alleged "witch-hunting and finger pointing being orchestrated against him”.

He also said his client has yet to receive a formal reply from the MACC.

Baljit said Muhammad Adlan had in that June letter highlighted a list of alleged "abnormalities” in MACC's actions during the investigation, including freezing his company's account and his own account without notice and without cause; alleged incessant harassment by MACC officers; that he was allegedly threatened where he was portrayed as a fugitive through press release, with his name to be placed under the International Criminal Police Organization's (Interpol) Red Notice, and that he would be arrested and detained upon arrival in Malaysia.

According to Bajlit, Muhammad Adlan has learnt that a travel ban has been imposed on him, via the Immigration Department's classification of his passport.

"Our client vehemently denies any suggestion that he is not contactable and states that he is in communication with the Investigating Officer in charge of the investigation.

"He has always stated that he is prepared to cooperate in any investigation as required by law but will not countenance any threats against him and his family,” the lawyer said.

He claimed the MACC investigation is not being conducted objectively and is threatening Muhammad Adlan's constitutionally-protected liberty.

According to Baljit, Muhammad Adlan claims that he is being "unlawfully targeted” and has suffered immeasurable damage to his reputation and is on the brink of financial ruin.

"Personally, he has suffered mental anguish and trauma. His young family continues to suffer,” the lawyer said.

According to Baljit, Muhammad Adlan said he is not a politician and is "aghast at any attempt to use him as a tool to obtain political mileage”.

Muhammad Adlan also believes the timing of MACC's press release so near to this Saturday's state elections suggests that there is a "political undertone” to the entire process, Baljit said.

Baljit said the MACC's press release seeking the public's assistance to locate Muhammad Adlan is "totally unnecessary” and an attempt to "malign and humiliate” the latter.

"Our client is also surprised that the prime minister has seen it fit to comment on this issue which suggests that there is some plot at play,” the lawyer said.

Baljit said Muhammad Adlan will not hesitate to start any necessary action to protect, preserve and vindicate his rights as protected by the Federal Constitution and other laws.

On August 7, the MACC issued a statement containing the photographs of Muhammad Adlan and lawyer Mansoor Saat, telling the public it was tracking these two men to help in investigations of alleged corruption and misappropriation in connection with a project related to the registration, recruitment and biometric storage of foreign workers in a ministry.

The MACC had said immigration records showed that these two men left Malaysia on May 17 and May 21, 2023 respectively but that there were no records of them re-entering the country, and that the duo had failed to present themselves at MACC's office despite MACC's efforts to contact them and their lawyers.

Earlier this afternoon, local daily Sinar Harian reported MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki as saying there is a possibility that the duo were trying to escape since they had failed to show up at MACC's office for their statements to be recorded and MACC was seeking information on them.

Azam reportedly said the MACC could ask the Immigration Department to freeze the passports of the duo if they still failed to give any response, as well as seek Interpol’s aide to bring the two men back to Malaysia.