MORE than 170 individuals have been convicted for corruption offences in Sabah over the past three years, in what the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has described as a concerted and increasingly effective crackdown on graft in the state.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki revealed that 290 people were arrested between 2021 and March 2025, with 172 successful convictions recorded in court.
In the same period, the MACC Sabah office opened 895 investigation papers, drawn from 2,038 reports and complaints received — averaging between 460 and 560 pieces of information annually.
“These investigations are categorised into two types — open investigations and interim files,” Azam said. “Out of the total, 246 were open investigations, while 649 were interim cases.”
He also disclosed that 287 charges were brought to court, underscoring the seriousness with which the agency is pursuing offenders.
“The fact that 172 individuals were convicted demonstrates the effectiveness of our Sabah office,” Azam noted.
“A case is only brought to court if we have solid evidence. We set ourselves a conviction target of 85% for every prosecution we initiate.”
Despite the relatively high output, Azam acknowledged that the MACC Sabah team consists of just 90 officers, highlighting the scale of the challenge.
“Each investigation typically requires a team of five officers. For larger, more complex cases, up to 10 officers may be assigned to conduct a comprehensive probe,” he said.
The MACC has been ramping up its presence in Sabah in recent years amid concerns over persistent corruption in both public and private sectors. Sabah, like several other resource-rich states, has long faced challenges around governance, procurement practices, and enforcement.
Azam also underscored the importance of maintaining a high conviction rate, not just to reflect the agency’s effectiveness, but to avoid the perception of weak or unsubstantiated charges.
“We do not want to see the conviction rate fall below 70%. That would be seen as a failure in terms of investigative quality,” he stressed.
While the MACC chief stopped short of naming high-profile cases, his remarks come amid growing national and regional scrutiny of integrity in public service, particularly in state-level agencies.
As Malaysia continues to grapple with public disillusionment over corruption, the MACC's performance in Sabah may signal a template for enhanced enforcement across the country. The commission has been under pressure to deliver results following several high-profile scandals at the federal level in recent years.
Azam’s comments suggest that Sabah is emerging as a key front in Malaysia’s anti-corruption campaign, and that efforts to clean up governance at the state level are both ongoing and yielding measurable outcomes.
“The fight against corruption requires constant vigilance,” he said, adding, “We will continue to build on these successes and pursue all cases that undermine public trust and national integrity.” – April 10, 2025
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