PETALING JAYA: PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar has called for the country's top graft busters to be placed under the Parliament's oversight, alleging that some of the body's investigations are done in a "high-handed" manner.
In a statement, Nurul Izzah said while the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) carries out its duty under its governing Act, the powers granted could in some instances "create a climate where individuals are made to feel guilty for engaging in political rivalry or for daring to speak out".
"When enforcement becomes excessive, opaque, or intimidating, it ceases to serve justice and instead begins to undermine democratic principles.
"There may indeed be legitimate grounds for scrutiny, whether in relation to the RM1.1 bil deal reached between the government and ARM Holdings, or the numerous investigations aimed at recovering illicit or ill-got funds to replenish the nation’s coffers.
"However, the high-handed manner in which some investigations appear to be conducted - including the public disclosure and circulation of home addresses for the world to see, while reportedly part of standard operating procedures, has to meet a higher benchmark of accountability. It must reflect proportionality, respect for privacy and institutional responsibility."
She said one of the constructive ways to move forward is to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the MACC through regular reporting to Parliament, which would allow elected representatives to review the Commission’s work, while bodies such as the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) or a dedicated Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) could examine policies, procedures and major enforcement decisions.
"This proposal should be understood as complementary to the existing oversight structures under the MACC Act, including the Special Committee on Corruption and the advisory mechanisms established under Section 14. Those bodies play an important role, but their functions remain largely consultative and limited in scope.
"What is needed is a clearer line of democratic accountability where Parliament itself is able to review institutional practices and, where necessary, recommend improvements to the governing law.
Such oversight would not interfere with investigations, but it would help ensure that the law governing the MACC evolves with greater transparency and public confidence."
Nurul Izzah said she had "consistently" sounded the alarm about the systemic risks such concerns pose, and will support moves to resolve them.
"Parliamentary oversight of the MACC is not an attack on anti-corruption efforts — it is their completion. Accountability must be universal, or it means nothing. Malaysia deserves institutions it can trust, and institutions worthy of that trust."
She said trust grows only when institutions are seen to act fairly, responsibly and transparently.
"Indeed, no individual should be above scrutiny, but where significant public funds are involved, the public has a right to know who is following the money, and who is ensuring that those doing the following are themselves accountable.
"The credibility of that fight depends on public trust. Credible allegations of corporate mafia that have entered public discourse — including questions surrounding the commissioner’s personal shareholdings and their potential conflict of interest — demand transparent answers, not silence.
"We must be careful not to allow gaps in credibility; through sufficiently unanswered allegations, to derail the larger and necessary national effort to combat corruption."
The MACC is currently attached to the Prime Minister's Department.
