Azalina: No need for another committee to overlook MACC chief’s appointment

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Former law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said it is unnecessary to set up another committee to oversee the appointment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner.

In a series of Twitter posts, Azalina said MACC currently has five oversight committees.

“MACC has five oversight committees — three established under the MACC Act 2009, two administratively.

“The question here is, should we be establishing another committee?

“Perhaps what is required here is to enhance the role of Parliament to oversee the appointment of heads of agencies, especially law enforcement agencies?

“Appointments are at present made by the service commissions,” she said in her posting.

The Pengerang MP also highlighted the Country Review report by UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) on Malaysia’s compliance to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

“The independent review shows that many recommended mechanisms have been adopted in accordance with international norm,” she said in relation to the matter.

Earlier, Azalina had queried whether due diligence was carried out before Tan Sri Azam Baki was made the MACC chief commissioner in March 2020 during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s tenure as prime minister.

At the same time, the Special Committee on Corruption (SCC) is set to meet in its efforts to push for the MACC to be parked under the Parliament’s prerogative.

Last month, Azam was accused of owning millions of publicly traded shares by an anti-corruption activist, Lalitha Kunaratnam.

As the public caught wind of the allegations and pressure mounted, Azam and MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang during a press conference on January 5 said that Azam’s brother had borrowed his account to trade stocks, and there was nothing wrong with that.

However, many remained unconvinced and called for Azam to resign, including the remaining six members of the board, while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob called for patience while the MACC itself inspects the alleged wrongdoings of its own head.