PUTRAJAYA: It is not the duty of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to determine where money seized in connection with bribery and corruption is channelled or spent, says Tan Sri Azam Baki.
The MACC chief commissioner said this responsibility comes under the Finance Ministry and, more importantly, that the funds are used for the rakyat’s benefit.
”Our work is to seize and also forfeit the monies to the government.
“It is not our duty to ensure where the money goes. That is a job of Finance Ministry.
“The important thing is that the money absconded from the rakyat is returned to them,” he told reporters after a Cooperation Note signing ceremony between the MACC and the Federal Territories Department yesterday.
Azam was responding to calls for transparency over how illicit funds seized by MACC would be spent.
On Feb 2, corruption watchdog Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW) said that the MACC’s recovery of RM8.5bil in illicit proceeds will only matter if the money is used openly, delivers tangible benefits to the public and is followed by firm punishment of those responsible.
MACC had earlier announced it had seized and recovered more than RM8.5bil between Jan 1 and Dec 31 last year through asset seizures, account freezes, forfeiture orders, compounds and negotiated settlements.
Earlier in his speech, Azam said that the placement of integrity officers at agencies under the Federal Territories Department will be based on risk assessment.
He stressed that the anti-graft body could not simply “go around poking” at other departments without cooperation notes, unless there is information suggesting possible corruption or investigations requires its involvement.
He added that the cooperation notes with government departments do not prevent the MACC from probing past cases involving those departments.
“Criminal cases have no statute of limitations, even if the case was investigated previously and no evidence was found.
“If there is new evidence or leads, the MACC will look into it. It does not matter whether you like it or not, we will investigate,” he said.
He added that the risk assessment would also determine whether departments require an integrity unit, which does not necessarily have to be staffed by an MACC officer.
Azam said he could not comment on which agencies under the Federal Territories Department were more prone to corruption and bribery, as this can only be determined after a proper risk evaluation is conducted.
He added that the cooperation note is aimed at improving departmental systems and procedures, as well as monitoring.
He suggested that heads of departments without cooperation notes identify flaws in their systems and procedures before reporting such weaknesses to the MACC, with the aim of preventing corruption.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said that, with the cooperation note, departments under her purview will review and improve standard operating procedures to curb bribery and corruption.
“We will examine grey areas which are loopholes for bribery to take place. Once these grey areas and loopholes are fixed, the public will know that proper processes are in place and there will not be any opportunities for bribery to occur,” said Yeoh.
She also urged the public to play its part by refraining from offering bribes to officials.
