PUTRAJAYA: In the course of his duties, Tan Sri Azam Baki has earned criticisms and much to his amusement, even “haters”.
But to the outgoing chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), he was just doing his job.
To a certain extent, criticisms and attacks come with the job, he said.
“Leadership, particularly in enforcement agencies, requires courage and a willingness to make difficult decisions,” he said in a special interview with the media recently.
Azam’s tenure at the helm of the MACC ends tomorrow after working at the agency for 42 years.
He retired in 2023 at the age of 60, but had his contract extended three times.
Known for his direct and no nonsense approach, Azam said a leader who wants to remain “safe” would choose not to do anything, so that he would not have to deal with any criticisms.
“My career, which began in 1984, had been shaped by continuous learning, information-sharing and years of operational and administrative exposure.
“Having a vision is important. Without vision, it is better not to become a leader,” he said.
Azam said one of the biggest challenges in enforcement work was to ensure investigations and enforcement actions remained effective against increasingly complex forms of corruption.
“No organisation or country in the world is free from these problems. There will always be cartels at work, abuse of power, corruption and systemic weaknesses.
“What makes a difference is how these problems are addressed effectively and consistently,” he said.
Despite public criticism, Azam defended MACC’s actions in investigating high-profile political figures, asserting that probes were conducted based on lawful information and proper procedures.
“Never in Malaysia’s history had we investigated a sitting prime minister. This has upset certain groups and parties. But my principle is simple; whoever is guilty must be charged regardless of position,” he said.
Azam said accountability could never be separated from enforcement responsibilities, stressing that every appointment came with duties that could not be ignored or shifted to others.
“When someone is entrusted with a position, it comes with responsibilities. There cannot be a culture of avoiding responsibility,” he said.
On strengthening corruption investigations, Azam said the MACC now requires an intelligence-driven approach, especially in cases involving organised networks and prominent figures.
He said investigations could no longer rely solely on complaints by the public, but needed comprehensive intelligence gathering.
“Effective investigations also need strategic cooperation between agencies ... reason being corruption investigations were often more difficult than conventional crimes as it usually involved tightly connected groups protecting one another.
“There are cases that continue for years without being directly detected,” he added.
He also called for broader collaboration involving professionals from multiple fields, including accounting, engineering, medicine and law, to strengthen investigations and improve analytical capabilities.
Aside from the 1MDB scandal, Azam revealed the probe involving the late Tun Daim Zainuddin was one of the hardest investigations, but did not disclose details.
Azam said he is leaving the service with no regrets, as he believed that he had carried out his duty as a graft buster – from a young officer four decades ago to the country’s top graft buster – to the best of his ability.
“I leave MACC in the good hands of my successor,” he said.
