Is there an attempt to cover up issues in MACC? - Kit Siang

Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang has questioned whether there is an attempt to cover up issues plaguing the MACC.

He also questioned the point of the various MACC oversight committees when they have apparently failed to act.

This follows the resignation of political economy professor Edmund Terence Gomez from the MACC's consultation and corruption prevention panel as a protest over its failure to act over conflict of interest issues involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and his alleged ownership of two million shares in a public listed company.

Azam has not responded to requests for comment.

Gomez said he had raised the issue multiple times with MACC consultation and corruption prevention panel chairperson Borhan Dolah and MACC's anti-corruption advisory board chairperson Abu Zahar Ujang but was ignored.

Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang

Borhan had instead hit out at Gomez, telling him not to use the panel for "political agenda" while Abu Zahar in an interview with Sinar Harian suggested bringing Azam to meet Gomez.

Lim said Abu Zahar "got the wrong end of the stick" as the issue is Azam and not Gomez.

"Gomez’s shock resignation has only highlighted the issue with Azam.

"For more than two months, serious allegations had been made against Azam, affecting his role and work as the MACC chief commissioner, and in fact, casting doubt on the anti-corruption efforts of the MACC," the DAP supremo said.

Lim questioned why Azam has yet to respond to the allegations and the apparent inaction by MACC's oversight committees.

He noted that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has also not weighed into the issue.

"What has Parliament done about these allegations?

"Are there unseen forces at work to 'cover up' the issue, and have these 'unseen forces' reached Parliament and the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department?" he said. - Mkini