Dewan Rakyat passes NAFCC bill unanimously without amendment

The Dewan Rakyat passed the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NAFCC) Bill at policy stage unanimously without any amendment.

This is despite the government agreeing to refer the appointment of the NAFCC director-general and its advisory board chairperson to Parliament while the bill stated that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will appoint on the advice of the prime minister.

During the debate, Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) requested to amend the bill, by replacing the word "prime minister" to "Parliament", to allow the legislature to play a role in the appointment of NAFCC’s key positions.

De facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong (photo), however, said the Umno lawmaker only made an oral request without putting up a written motion.

He, however, said: "I take note and will consider the suggestion of the Arau (MP)."

The NAFCC was passed unanimously in voice votes during the second and third readings.

In his winding-up debate earlier today, Liew said the government had agreed to refer the appointment of the NAFCC director-general and its advisory board chairperson to the legislative branch after discussions with the stakeholders.

This is after concerns raised by NGOs on the need to curtail the power of the prime minister as pledged in Pakatan Harapan's election manifesto.

"The government took into consideration their views and took the initiative that the appointment of the NAFCC director-general and advisory board chairperson would be referred to the parliamentary select committee on major public appointments," he said.

In the policy stage debate of the NAFCC bill, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Harapan-Ledang) welcomed such a move by the government.

Syed Ibrahim, who is a member of the parliament select committee on major appointments, urged the government to make it into law enabling the appointment of the two posts to be referred to the legislative branch.

"I suggest that (the government) considers including it in the bill," he said.

When winding up the policy debate, Liew clarified that former Immigration director-general Mustafar Ali (photo) is not the new director-general of NAFCC as alleged by many people.

"Question was raised on why he received an appointment letter in January this year. He was appointed as the chief executive of a nucleus team under the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC), for the purpose of setting up NAFCC.

"He was given the mandate to formulate the NAFCC bill," Liew said when winding up the policy stage debate for the NAFCC bill.

"There will be an election in NAFCC to determine who the new director-general," he said.

The bill is to set up NFACC to co-ordinate operations and centralise information relating to financial crimes among the 12 government agencies.

The centre, however, is not given enforcement power.

Liew said financial crime is worrying as the Global Financial Integrity (GFI) had placed Malaysia among the top ten countries in illicit financial outflow totalling US$436.2 billion.

He said financial crime is difficult to curb and the setting up of NAFCC will help to stop public funds leakages and an increase in government revenue. - Mkini