KUALA LUMPUR: PAS lawmakers pledged to support amendments to the Federal Constitution on service appointments of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said the party was committed towards fighting graft and its 21 lawmakers in Parliament would vote in favour of the amendments.
The amendments involved the setting up of a MACC service commission and related to the appointment of the Chief Commissioner.
At present, the appointment of the MACC chief commissioner is by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister and his removal is subject to provisions governing civil servants.
The amendments will place the post of the chief commissioner under the Federal Constitution and whose appointment is by the Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister who must first get approval from the Conference of Rulers.
The commissioner can only be removed by way of a tribunal akin to those for superior court judges.
Hadi said PAS had been consistent in its stand against corruption and adopted an open-door policy in Kelantan for MACC to weed out corruption there.
"They (MACC) can even investigate those within our midst as PAS does not condone or tolerate corruption," he said during a dinner with MACC in Parliament on Tuesday night.
Hadi hoped that the changes to the MACC would allow it to carry out its duties independently and without fear or favour.
MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdul said approval for the service commission had received Cabinet approval.
He said MACC would also be meeting lawmakers from Barisan Nasional, DAP and PKR to brief them on the amendments.
He said the setting up of the service commission will ensure that the chief commissionner's post is not vested in the hands of any particular individual.
"We want to ensure the MACC is able to carry out its duties as an investigative body without any external pressure or interference," he said.
Parliament comprise a total of 222 MPs of whom 133 are Barisan Nasional, 38 DAP, 30 PKR and 21 PAS.
Amendments to the constitution requires a two-thirds majority or 148 votes.
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