Calls for action over the controversy involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki have intensified, with leaders from the opposition and government urging different measures to address public concerns.
Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali described the controversy as a systemic failure, arguing that responsibility ultimately lies with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The lawyer said the issue should not be viewed as an individual matter involving Azam (above) alone but as a broader governance problem within the administration.
He said Malaysia has a history of institutions allegedly “sweeping issues under the carpet”, drawing parallels with the handling of the 1MDB scandal involving former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
In a statement yesterday, Rafique claimed there seems to have been no changes since then.
“Azam is protected by PM. Without PM, there is no Azam,” he said.
The government has established a three-person committee headed by Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar to investigate Azam’s multimillion-ringgit shareholdings and compliance with civil service rules.
However, Dusuki indicated that the committee will not be investigating major allegations that MACC officers colluded with private individuals to strong-arm business rivals and abet corporate takeovers.
A damning Bloomberg report alleged that Azam was aware of the collusion and had acted in support of those perpetrating them.
Allegations of selective enforcement
Commenting further, Rafique questioned the committee’s credibility, claiming that the three individuals were appointed to positions in the government on the prime minister’s advice.
Aside from Dusuki, the others on the committee are Public Service Department director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz and Treasury secretary Johan Mahmood Merican.
Rafique also raised concerns about the government’s commitment to busting corruption, saying that no rich people have been arrested so far.
“The people see that those who do not support Anwar as the prime minister are being arrested, investigated, or threatened with investigation,” he added.
He further criticised purported selective action, citing Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s 47 charges being dropped.
Prioritise credibility
Separately, Amanah Youth deputy chief Danial Al-Rashid Haron Aminar Rashid called for Azam to be temporarily relieved of his duties while investigations are conducted.
This was not intended as a punishment, but an administrative step to ensure a transparent and independent investigation, said the Batu Tiga assemblyperson in a statement today.
“The principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ remains respected. However, at the same time, institutional integrity and credibility must be prioritised,” he added.
Azam had said that he would give full cooperation to the committee, adding that he had requested to be investigated.
Shareholding scandal redux
In late 2021, Azam came under scrutiny over his ownership of shares valued at hundreds of thousands of ringgit in two companies.
In January 2022, Azam said he informed the MACC’s Corruption Prevention Advisory Board that the shares were bought by his brother, who borrowed his account, and that he believed he did not do anything wrong.
The declaration triggered a Securities Commission probe that eventually found no evidence of proxy trading as it determined Azam had “control” over his own trading account.
At the time, Anwar and three other Pakatan Harapan leaders called for Azam to be suspended to make way for an independent investigation.
Earlier this month, Azam came into the spotlight again after Bloomberg and Malaysiakini separately reported that the top graftbuster had significant shares in two companies that appeared to be in excess of what the civil service allowed.
Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) records revealed that Azam had at some point held 17.7 million shares in Velocity Capital Partner Berhad and around 4.52 million shares in Awanbiru Technology Berhad.
The Velocity Capital Partner shares were believed to have been bought for around RM1.5 million, while the Awanbiru shares were estimated to have been valued between RM1.24 million and RM1.38 million at some point. - Mkini
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