Govt mulls putting MACC under EAIC’s purview

 

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the proposal to place MACC under EAIC’s purview was among the issues discussed during a multi-agency meeting today.

PETALING JAYA: The government is considering placing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) under the purview of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

There are currently 21 enforcement agencies listed under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009, with MACC exempted through provisions under Subsection 1(5) of the Act.

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the proposal to place MACC under EAIC’s purview was among the issues discussed during the first meeting of the pro-tem committee.

The committee met to discuss Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal for a new body to oversee and investigate all complaints against law enforcement bodies.

In a statement, Azalina said the pro-tem committee would also examine several proposed amendments to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act to strengthen the EAIC.

“The unity government under the leadership of the prime minister is committed to creating a truly independent body that has effective and efficient disciplinary control powers to instil and improve integrity among enforcement officers and enforcement agencies,” she said.

She added that today’s meeting was aimed at examining in more detail the scope of tasks and jurisdiction of the EAIC in line with Anwar’s vision.

On March 28, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that it was better that an independent body take investigative action of all complaints against enforcement bodies such as the police, MACC, immigration department, and customs department.

He told the Dewan Rakyat he understood the public’s unease about enforcement bodies investigating public complaints about themselves.

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In an interview with the New Straits Times on the same day, Azalina said that the “new” independent body to investigate complaints about enforcement agencies was actually an enhancement of the EAIC’s powers.

She said the EAIC would have enhanced powers and added that a pro-tem committee would be set up to review ways to upgrade the EAIC. - FMT