KUALA LUMPUR: The government has not ruled out establishing a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into allegations of a “corporate mafia” and abuses of power involving enforcement agencies but says it would be premature to do so before the Attorney General completes its ongoing probe.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that the Attorney General’s investigation into the claims, including those highlighted in a recent international documentary, is expected to be completed “within days”, and that any decision on an RCI must be based on the findings of that report.
“For us, a Royal Commission is premature, too early,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time yesterday.
“First, the investigation led by the Attorney General will be completed this week, in a few days. So we should first see whether there is a reasonable and rational basis to extend the process and in what areas further scrutiny is needed,” he added.
Anwar cautioned against placing undue emphasis on a single media report.
“While we can receive information from any media source, I do not want to give too much credit to one outlet when there are also new investigations under way.
“However, any issue that is raised – if there is a basis – will continue to be investigated. It is not just about ordinary accusations,” he added.
Anwar stressed that the government’s response had not been to ignore or downplay the allegations but to move decisively against long-standing criminal syndicates and corrupt networks.
He pointed to a series of recent high-profile cases involving senior officials, including charges against two members of the Sabah state assembly, the prosecution of a former senior political figure close to a former prime minister, four senior Armed Forces officers charged over criminal breach of trust, and the arrest of the Environment Department’s director-general and deputy director-general in January.
“These moves show that our commitment to carrying out our duties has become more visible and significant,” he said, adding that many of the targeted syndicates had been operating “for decades”, with major enforcement action only taking place from 2023 onwards.
On institutional checks and balances, Anwar said he was open to further strengthening oversight of enforcement bodies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“With regard to whether there is sufficient control or not, I accept that there are proposals for the mechanisms to be refined and tightened,” he said.
“Although controls already exist, there are views that they can be made stricter, and I take an open attitude so that we can find ways to provide closer monitoring of enforcement bodies that are seen as requiring it,” he added.
He underlined that any enhancement of oversight mechanisms must still respect due process and established procedures.
Anwar reiterated that the immediate priority was to allow the Attorney General’s investigation to conclude and to assess its recommendations before deciding whether an RCI was warranted.
“I am neither accepting nor rejecting the RCI proposal. Let us follow the process,” he said.
“First, we obtain the report from the Attorney General, which will not be delayed – he has informed me that the report will be prepared within one or two days. Then, if there is a rational basis to extend the process, we will do so and determine in which areas further examination is required,” he added.
Anwar emphasised the importance of fairness when addressing allegations involving enforcement authorities or public officials, stating that the government must adopt an equitable approach in such matters.
