Amanah MP files urgent motion to debate Azam's share ownership

Amanah's Pulai MP Salahuddin Ayub today filed an emergency motion seeking Dewan Rakyat to debate MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki's ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed company.

In a statement today, the Amanah deputy president wishes the motion will be discussed in the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, which will commence on March 1.

He wanted the motion to be accepted and discussed in the August House instead of the special chamber because the matter had created doubt on the integrity of the civil servant.

He said the matter is a specific matter, of public interest and an important issue that should be debated in the House.

"This matter needs to be expedited so that MACC's Anti-Corruption Advisory Board can conduct a further investigation into the allegation that Azam (above) owned an excessive amount of shares," he said in a letter sent to Azhar.

"This is a matter of public interest to restore the public confidence in MACC in its efforts to curb corrupt activities, and all matters related to a breach of trust shall be answered by the government," he said.

In a press conference yesterday, Azam said he told the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board that his trading account was used by his brother to acquire the shares in the two companies in 2015.

The shares had since been transferred to his brother, Nasir.

According to Excel Force Bhd's 2015 annual report, Azam owned 2,156,000 warrants in the company as of March 21, 2016. At the time, Azam was the head of MACC's investigation division.

MACC's Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairperson Abu Zahar Ujang, who was also present at the press conference, had said they were satisfied with Azam’s explanation that he had neither pecuniary interest nor conflict of interest in the acquisition of those shares. - Mkini