A group of PKR Youth members and supporters held a peaceful protest in front of the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya today, demanding its chief commissioner Azam Baki to step down.
Led by Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasir and Batu MP P Prabakaran, the group of about 30 people also demanded that the government launches an investigation against the top anti-graft officer over a recent scandal where he was implicated in the ownership of some two million shares in a public listed company.
The protest started with the group arriving in a convoy of some 20 cars from Dataran Putra, near the Prime Minister's Office, to the MACC premises before submitting a short memorandum that reads "Undur Azam Baki" (Azam Baki step down) to the commission.
"As we all know, yesterday several senior MACC officers had issued a statement (in defence of Azam), saying that the memorandum represented the commission.
"Today, we want to say that we are also sending a memorandum, with only 13 letters as stated behind us. This is so that they can see it," Akmal told reporters during a presser held in Dataran Putra.
The PKR Youth chief also expressed their disappointment over Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's alleged lack of commitment in addressing the scandal.
Criticising Ismail's statement saying that the executive could not interfere in MACC affairs, Akmal stressed that the current MACC chief was appointed based on a prime minister's advice.
Azam was promoted to the post in March 2020 by the then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, soon after he took over Putrajaya in a political coup.
"The prime minister should not forget that the MACC chief commissioner today was appointed in 2020 by the then prime minister. He was not appointed by the Parliament, nor that it was based on the Parliament's advice.
"He was appointed by the King based on the prime minister's advice. So, if he (Ismail) wants to say that the executive cannot interfere, then the prime minister must give his commitment today that he will transfer the power to advise the King on the appointment of MACC chief to the Parliament," Akmal said.
He also urged the prime minister to call for an emergency Parliament sitting to discuss the Azam Baki scandal as soon as possible.
According to him, the next special sitting scheduled this Jan 20 to discuss the recent flood situation would be a good time to meet MPs to discuss the issue.
He suggested that Ismail extends the special Parliament session on flood for another day to discuss the MACC matter.
Government lacks political will
Prabakaran, the Federal Territories PKR Youth chief, said Azam should either resign or take a garden leave until his name is cleared.
"Everybody is confused about how the chief of MACC has so many shares in a company," Prabakaran said.
Meanwhile, Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik, who was also at the protest, urged the people to pressure the government, which he alleged lacked the political will to address the issue.
"We see that the government lacks the political will and is slow in this issue. So, we hope that the rakyat, especially the young people, can rise up and wake up this government so they will understand the people's wish to see an end to corruption."
Azam came under scrutiny recently after allegations surfaced about him having owned shares in two companies back in 2015.
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.
However, in a press conference on Jan 5, Azam said he did not do anything wrong as the shares were bought by his brother, who only used his name.
On the same day, MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairperson Abu Zahar Ujang also said that Azam had explained the matter to them on Nov 24 last year.
Abu Zahar also claimed that the board was satisfied that there was no wrongdoing.
However, this claim by Abu Zahar was later disputed by six other board members, who said that this was not the board's position and Abu Zahar had only expressed his personal opinion.
The Securities Commission had also stated that it would contact Azam over his admission that his brother had used his name to purchase shares. - Mkini
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