PETALING JAYA: The MCA Youth central committee will hand over a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday (March 12) listing four demands for institutional reforms within the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
High on the list is a call for Tan Sri Azam Baki to temporarily step aside as MACC chief commissioner pending an investigation into his shareholding isse.
According to the committee, the decision to submit the memorandum was unanimously agreed upon during a meeting on Friday (March 6).
It said the meeting focused on in-depth discussions regarding the controversy surrounding Azam and recent allegations of a "corporate mafia".
"If the anti-graft body itself becomes embroiled in a scandal, or if there are allegations of power abuse or links to commercial interests within the institution, it would seriously undermine public confidence in the nation’s anti-corruption framework.
"The government must respond decisively and take concrete steps to restore public trust," the committee said in a statement on Tuesday (March 10).
It said Azam should temporarily step aside to ensure investigations can proceed without interference or conflict of interest.
"Stepping aside does not equate to finding of guilt; rather, it avoids any perception of him 'investigating himself' while safeguarding the integrity and transparency of the investigation process," it said.
To ensure a comprehensive probe, the committee called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to be established, as it said internal investigations are insufficient to dispel public doubts.
An RCI, it added, would be able to thoroughly examine both the shareholding issue and the "corporate mafia" allegations.
At the same time, it also urged the government to place the MACC under the purview of Parliament as part of institutional reforms.
According to the committee, MACC is currently placed under the Prime Minister’s Department and there has been criticism that this potentially concentrates excessive powers within the Executive branch.
"If the independence of the MACC is to be genuinely strengthened, institutional reforms must be implemented so that the chief commissioner is appointed by and reports directly to Parliament," it added.
For its fourth demand, the committee called for the establishment of an independent monitoring body or strengthening of existing oversight to ensure that MACC enforcement, investigations and internal management are subject to institutionalised external supervision.
The committee stressed that the memorandum is not only directed at a specific controversy, but aims to drive deeper institutional reforms within Putrajaya.
"This is to ensure that the MACC becomes a truly independent, transparent and properly supervised anti-corruption body, rather than remaining mired in recurring controversies that risk undermining the credibility of the government as a whole," it added.
On Feb 11, Bloomberg published an article titled "Who’s Watching Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Watchdog?" which detailed allegations that a group of businessmen, allegedly working with certain MACC officers, had pressured corporate figures in takeover cases, which was later described as a "corporate mafia" network.
Azam has strongly denied the allegations and has filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg, seeking RM100mil in damages.
The MACC has also strongly denied allegations of the "corporate mafia", saying that the allegations were believed to have originated from an online blog with no identifiable owner, author, or clear accountability.
On Feb 13, it was announced that a special committee had been established to probe claims that Azam held a significant stake in a financial services company, based on corporate filings.
The report from Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar is to be finalised soon and handed over to Anwar.
On Friday, Anwar said he had yet to receive the report from the AG.
