“Why didn’t MCA ask former prime minister Najib (Razak) to go on leave when there were multiple investigations on 1MDB, (both) locally and internationally?” Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng told FMT.

“Why was MCA not only silent when the sovereign wealth fund was plundered by Najib, but gave him unreserved support to rule the country (then)?”

Lim was responding to a call from MCA’s publicity chief Mike Chong yesterday for Sivakumar to go on leave pending the outcome of MACC’s investigation to avoid jeopardising the unity government’s image.

Sivakumar, who is the DAP MP for Batu Gajah, has been in the headlines after MACC detained two of his senior officers and a businessman last week in connection with an investigation into foreign worker recruitment. The trio were released from remand on Monday.

The minister was also questioned twice by MACC as part of its investigation, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Asked whether Sivakumar should go on leave, Lim reiterated Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s stance, that Sivakumar need not step aside as the case was still being investigated and no charges had been brought against him.

“So, I would stick to that (Anwar’s statement),” he said.

DAP’s Jelutong MP, RSN Rayer, said he has full confidence in Sivakumar’s integrity and felt that he need not go on leave.

“He is a straightforward, honest and no-nonsense person. I believe (that) he is innocent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu told MCA not to jump the gun over MACC’s probe by asking Sivakumar to go on leave.

Liu pointed out that no police report had been filed against the minister and that he had yet to be charged by MACC.

“Let’s be fair to him and let him focus on his job,” he said.