MACC sets up internal committee to vet asset-freeze orders

 Deputy minister M Kulasegaran says the agency is also working to centralise records of the orders.

Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said MACC issued 1,336 asset-freeze orders in 2025, with 481 subsequently withdrawn without charges.

KUALA LUMPUR:

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has established a special internal committee to enforce stricter vetting and approval processes for asset-freeze orders, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.

Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said the committee was introduced alongside ongoing system upgrades to centralise data recording for freeze orders issued under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla).

“MACC has established a special internal committee responsible for scrutinising and approving asset-freezing applications under Sections 44 and 44A,” Kulasegaran said during the Dewan Rakyat’s special chamber session.

He was responding to Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) who was concerned that Section 44 orders could be executed without prior court approval.

Wee also highlighted the lack of publicly available centralised records or complete statistics on freeze orders and their subsequent withdrawals since 2022.

Kulasegaran said MACC issued 1,336 asset-freeze orders in 2025, of which 481 were subsequently withdrawn without charges being brought. Between Jan 1 and Sept 30 this year, 1,006 asset-freeze orders were issued, of which 781 were withdrawn without prosecution.

He said the withdrawal or modification of a freeze order did not necessarily signify absence of wrongdoing, but reflected ongoing investigative developments.

Kulasegaran said Amla fell under the finance ministry’s purview, and that Subsection 46(6) and Section 77 protected enforcement agencies from civil suits or claims for damages arising from freeze orders, provided the actions were carried out in good faith.

Separately, he said the special investigation committee investigating former MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s shareholdings had completed its probe and submitted its final findings to the Cabinet.

He said public updates on the investigation’s outcome would be issued directly by the chief secretary to the government. - FMT