Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang wants heads to roll over Malaysia's worst two-year drop in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (TI CPI) and warned that it could further worsen under the current MACC leadership.
He pointed out that the latest TI CPI ranking for 2021 did not take into account the recent controversy involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki who is resisting calls to resign and claims that the graft buster was going after his critics.
"Cabinet must reject the MACC statement for five-point drop in score from 53 to 48 and 11-point drop in rank in two years in TI CPI 2021, the worst two years in 27 years of TI CPI and sack Azam for incompetence and poor performance as MACC chief commissioner.
"The time has come to appoint a new MACC chief commissioner whose key performance indicator includes raising Malaysia's score and ranking in the annual TI CPI," Lim said in a statement.
The MACC, responding to the decline in the TI CPI ranking, said it would review the findings and propose recommendations. It also urged the public to cooperate in combating corruption.
However, Lim said the MACC must be told that "enough is enough" and "sweet nothing" statements are not acceptable.
"The worst is yet to come as Malaysia's TI CPI 2021 had not taken into account Azam-gate, which had rocked the nation for almost a month, as it was too recent a development to be an input in the TI CPI 2021.
"Malaysia's score and ranking would be even lower if Azam-gate had been fully incorporated into the TI CPI 2021.
"Heads must roll in the MACC for this dismal TI CPI for two consecutive years – 2020 and 2021," the DAP lawmaker said.
Lim noted that Malaysia's decline in the TI CPI in 2020 and 2021 also coincided with Azam taking over the reins of the MACC.
He added that Azam's refusal to testify before the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister's Department is not an example of integrity, probity and accountability.
Will cabinet be like the 'three monkeys'?
Azam came under the spotlight over his ownership of 1,930,000 shares in Gets Global Berhad (previously KBES Berhad) on April 30, 2015, worth around RM772,000 at the time.
His shareholding in Gets Global Berhad went down to 1,029,500 as of March 31, 2016, worth around RM340,000 at the time.
He also held 2,156,000 warrants in Excel Force MSC Berhad in March 2016.
The share ownership in 2015 and 2016 had raised questions on whether it was commensurate with his income as a public servant.
In a special press conference on Jan 5, Azam did not dispute the ownership of the shares but claimed they were bought in his name by his younger brother. They have since been transferred to his brother.
Lim said if Azam were to appear before the parliamentary committee, he should now also be questioned about Malaysia's poor performance in the TI CPI while he was at the helm of the MACC.
"After the worst two years in the TI CPI for 2020 and 2021, Malaysians expect the cabinet to act. Or will the cabinet again be like the proverbial three monkeys?" he said.
Malaysia was ranked 54 in the TI CPI in 2012. Prior to that, the TI CPI used a different measurement method.
Malaysia's rank plummeted to 62 in 2017, during the height of the 1MDB scandal. However, the country improved to rank 51 in 2019 under the Pakatan Harapan government, which collapsed in 2020.
Malaysia's ranking declined to 57 in 2020 and 62 in 2021, similar to the height of the 1MDB scandal in 2017. - Mkini
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