KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki today said it will be business as usual for him, after the Securities Commission said it found no wrongdoing after investigating him.
Azam expressed gratitude to the SC, adding that he was told that his case for alleged proxy trading has been closed.
“Alhamdulillah, I am thankful for the decision of the SC who has found that I have not committed any offence.
“I have been informed by the SC that the inquiry into the matter has been concluded. As such, it has closed the inquiry file accordingly.
“With that, I will continue my responsibility as the Chief Commissioner of the MACC, to fight corruption in the country without fear or favour,” he said.
The SC today said it has finished its investigations concerning the acquisition of public shares by Azam and found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing.
Earlier this month, Azam said in a press conference that he had allowed his younger brother to use his stock trading account to buy millions worth of shares in two public-listed companies back in 2015.
He denied any wrongdoing, saying the amount has since been transferred to Nasir’s account. However, he has not explained publicly why Nasir had to use his account to buy those shares.
On January 8, Azam said he was ready for his alleged misconduct case to be referred to the MACC’s Complaints Committee.
Yesterday, it was reported that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department meeting to discuss the MACC chief’s involvement with stock ownership has been postponed, following Azam’s refusal to meet its members. He had argued that he was already being investigated by the SC and the MACC Complaints Committee.
Earlier, former finance minister Lim Guan Eng said that the SC’s failure to find fault with Azam even with his admission of facilitating proxy trading, has effectively rendered Section 25(4) of the Securities Industry (Central Depositories) Act 1991 (SICDA) “impotent and broken”.
The DAP’s secretary-general also said the SC’s stance on the MACC chief commissioner would erode investor confidence and create doubt over the commission’s independence.
Separately, Selangor DAP chairman and Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo also criticised the “one lined” statement by the SC as insufficient, and demanded further information about its investigation.
Earlier today, the “Catch Azam Baki” movement announced that it would be organising a peaceful street protest, citing disappointment over the apparent inaction against Azam.
In a statement, the movement, made up of civil societies and political parties, said the protest will take place at 11am on January 22 in front of the Sogo shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.
