This comes in the wake of the controversy over alleged share ownership by MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and the resignation of an academic from an MACC oversight panel.
In a petition launched yesterday, Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran) called for the anti-graft agency to be moved from the Prime Minister’s Department to Parliament, where it could be supervised by a bipartisan parliamentary select committee (PSC).
The petition was initiated following the resignation of economist Edmund Terence Gomez from the agency’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) on Dec 27 over the panel’s alleged refusal to entertain his request to have a meeting to discuss news reports that implicated Azam in alleged stock ownership.
Speaking to FMT, Aliran president Anil Netto said that the proposed move is necessary for the agency to operate independently.
“It is important that MACC is seen as an independent agency. Parking it under a bipartisan select committee would make it answerable to the parliamentarians who are part of it.
“Plus, the agency’s leadership can be asked to appear before the PSC and explain its actions and inactions in battling corruption as well as any controversies facing the agency.”
He also added that such a move will allow MPs to voice their unhappiness on selective investigations carried out by the agency.
Responding to the petition’s call for the agency’s leadership to be investigated, Anil said this was necessary to protect the good name of the agency.
The petition also called for an immediate response from the agency’s leadership on the allegations facing them; and for an open and independent investigation, led by a bipartisan parliamentary committee, to commence immediately.
Meanwhile, political analyst Azmi Hassan told FMT that Aliran’s proposal was not new since it had been made by several parties before.
“The allegations facing Azam on alleged shares ownership, as well as politically motivated prosecutions and non-prosecutions by the agency, can be used as the impetus for Aliran’s call to be pushed forward.”
Speaking further on Aliran’s proposal, he said this would allow Parliament to be in charge of matters related to the promotions and changes in the positions of the agency’s personnel since they are not under the Public Service Department (JPA).
“Putting MACC under the PSC will also help the agency to conduct its investigations into any public officials without fear or favour,” said Azmi.
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s action on this crucial issue will decide if 2022 will be known as a year that rejected corruption.
“Will the prime minister continue to avoid this issue by his silence? Or will he get the Parliamentary special select committee on agencies under his jurisdiction to summon Azam Baki to explain the serious allegations made against him two months ago?” he asked in a statement today.
The Iskandar Puteri MP said if he continues to ignore this key issue, Malaysia is headed towards the lowest ranking in the Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2021 expected to be announced at the end of this month