WHILE retired High Court judge Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman’s appointment as the nation’s new top graft buster brought relief in that the tenure of his predecessor Tan Sri Azam Baki would not be extended a fourth time, the timing of his appointment which coincided with the Tangkap Azam Baki rally yesterday (April 25) has raised many eyebrows.
Firstly, the rally forged ahead as its joint organisers BERSIH (the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections) and MANDIRI a.k.a. Pusat Pembangunan Rakyat contended that the matter is not merely about Azam per se but about systemic and structural issues.
“The shareholding case, corporate mafia, transparency in investigations, including the cases of the late Ahmad Saibaini Mohamed’s death and that of Teoh Beng Hock have become routine enough for the government to announce an RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry),” stressed BERSIH chairman Faisal Aziz as early as Thursday (April 23).
Editor’s Note: Ahmad Sarbaini who was attached to the Port Klang Customs, was found dead on the first floor of the MACC building in Jalan Cochrane, Kuala Lumpur on April 6, 2011.
Beyond that, critics of Halim’s selection as the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) head honcho – having scrutinised his professional profile – questioned his advanced age of 69 (Azam is 63 this year) and his rather publicly unfamiliar background.
“He’s now 69 years old. He has never had any prosecution experience. He has absolutely no enforcement or investigative background,” doubted a commenter to a NST Online’s infographic of Halim.
“Virtually, his entire career was confined to routine judicial functions – from the lower courts up to the High Court.
“Most tellingly, he retired only as a High Court judge – never elevated to the Court of Appeal or Federal Court – which in itself speaks volumes about how his capabilities were assessed within the system.”
Somehow concurring is former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who, too, described the Kampung Alai, Melaka-born Halim as a “former High Court judge whom I can’t recall at all”.
“Strange appointment to a position of great importance to the nation,” quipped the opposition-slant UMNO member.
Why not Khushairy who is No. 2 [MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya) or Shaharuddin, the prosecutor (former MACC legal and prosecution director Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin)?
“Why not someone who has deep experience in investigating difficult cases (so as to give) some confidence to the rakyat?
“I’m not questioning the King’s choice here because I think the King will appoint someone else; this is PMX’s (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) choice. And PMX makes strange decisions all the time.
Zaid subsequently snubbed PMX for his backing that “Halim brings a strong judicial background and isn’t linked to business or political circles” as “insipid and lame”.
“If he wants a former judge with no political or big-business exposure, there are about 50 of them around,” jibed the only- for-one-month former defence counsel for incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his final SRC International Sdn Bhd appeal in July 2022.
What the people want is someone who has the experience in the investigative arm of government, who has the nerves of steel to be independent of the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) and the willingness to clean up the MACC once and for all.
But then again, let’s see if we’re all wrong!
Interestingly, many are still wondering why PMX didn’t just conform to the deemed ‘rakyat’s choice’ of Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay who is currently the deputy Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
As highlighted in the Friend Dato Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay FB group, it seems that many man-on-three-street Malaysians have expressed confidence that “all the corrupt crooks will languish in jail” should Ayob be appointed to helm the MACC.
Only time will tell how far Halim is able to flex his muscles or is he just another Madani-friendly-appointee as claimed by sceptics.
- focus malaysia
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