PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Azam Baki should be allowed to explain himself, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic).
The Prime Minister defended the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner amid renewed scrutiny over his shareholding transactions, adding that due process must be respected.
“He is doing his job. Why attack him? We must listen to the explanations from all sides.
“We have to hear his explanation,” Anwar said when met after attending the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia’s (ACCCIM) Lunar New Year reception on Wednesday (Feb 11) night.
Azam is facing public scrutiny over owning shares in several companies, an issue that has drawn calls for clarification and transparency.
He has said the shares were held through nominee arrangements and has denied any wrongdoing.
Earlier in his speech, Anwar stressed that Malaysia must be governed by the rule of law, not by “whims and fancy”, while preserving mutual respect in its multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.
He said social stability must be anchored in legal principles and institutional processes, warning against actions driven by emotions, pressure or unilateral behaviour that could undermine harmony and national unity.
Anwar also cautioned against any form of disrespect towards religious beliefs and cultural practices, stressing that harmony must be built on mutual respect, understanding and restraint.
Touching on sensitivities involving food practices, including pork-related issues, he said Malaysia’s long-standing tradition of coexistence must continue to be protected, noting that different communities have long respected each other’s practices without provocation or confrontation.
In his speech, ACCCIM president Datuk Ng Yih Pyng called for the establishment of a dedicated National SME Transformation Platform to better coordinate, scale and integrate existing government programmes for small and medium enterprises.
He said SMEs face intensifying competition, rising costs, financing pressures and manpower constraints, requiring structured and long-term support to upgrade, digitalise and remain competitive in an increasingly globalised economy.
Ng also welcomed recent business-friendly measures, including improvements in tax refund processes, the reduction in service tax on rental and leasing services, the government’s upcoming pathway for direct hiring of foreign workers, and new festive and MSME financing schemes.
“To maximise their impact, we encourage continued efforts to ensure they are easily accessible, well-communicated and effectively channelled to operators who truly need them; and where demand is strong, to expand these allocations in scale accordingly,” he said.
Some 700 guests attended the dinner, including Cabinet ministers, senior government leaders, foreign diplomats and business representatives.
