Anwar questions Opposition silence in war on graft

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has slammed Opposition leaders for what he calls their silence in the efforts by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to combat corruption in the country, especially that involving the super-rich.

The Prime Minister said the Opposition had not only remained silent on the matter but there were those among them who defended the prominent figures while accusing him of acting out of revenge.

“I saw it in Parliament ... the Opposition was angry, hateful, and there was no voice that supported measures to fight corruption.

“When I was in the Opposition, if the government brought any proposals with regard to the MACC, I would support them. In fact, I had said they (the government) were not brave enough (to take action).

“Recently, there was action taken by the MACC against one of the major figures considered to be among the richest. But there was no voice in support of its action among the Opposition,” Anwar said during his speech at the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Summit (NAC Summit) 2024 here yesterday.

One for the album: Anwar flanked by Sim (left) and Baki in a group photo with others at NAC Summit in Kuala Lumpur. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

He added that anyone involved in corruption should be brought to justice even if they were no longer in the government, adding that corruption needed to be eradicated even if the process took time.

Anwar also reiterated that any Cabinet member under his leadership found to be involved in corruption would be removed from their position.

“It’s been more than a year since we’ve been in power ... we have been attacked a lot, but I asked in Parliament and outside Parliament for evidence if the Prime Minister is corrupt, and if there is, we will investigate and prosecute as per the law.

“However, there is none, and after a year and three months, I ‘salute’ with my friends, we can give an image of a leader who is free from corruption,” he said.

Yesterday’s inaugural summit was jointly hosted by HRD Corp (Human Resource Development Corporation) and the MACC.

The summit is a platform to equip organisations with comprehensive knowledge to combat corruption, promote ethical business practices, and establish robust governance frameworks.

Also present at the summit were Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, and HRD Corp chairman Datuk Abu Huraira Abu Yazid and chief executive Datuk Wira Shahul Dawood.