A COALITION of civil society groups has announced plans to stage a public rally in the capital next month, intensifying pressure on the government over unresolved allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner and claims of corporate influence within enforcement bodies.
The ‘Sekretariat Tangkap Azam Baki’ said the gathering will take place on April 25 at Dataran Merdeka, driven by concerns that key issues surrounding the shareholding controversy involving MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and wider allegations of “corporate mafia” links have yet to be adequately addressed.
Deputy chairman of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), Kelvin Lee, said the decision to mobilise followed what organisers described as a lack of transparency and concrete action from the administration led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Sekretariat Tangkap Azam Baki decides to once again take to the streets to demand a more thorough and transparent investigation into the issue of Azam Baki’s shareholding and the corporate mafia that has become entangled, affecting the reputation and integrity of the MACC.
"Both these issues, to this day, have not received a clear, transparent and conclusive explanation from the Prime Minister and the MADANI Government," he said at a press conference.
Kelvin further criticised the government-appointed committee set up to examine the matter, describing it as a delaying tactic that has yet to yield tangible outcomes.
"The proof is that until today there has been no announcement, even though it has been a month since the committee was formed," Berita Harian quoted him saying today.
He added that continued disclosures relating to alleged corporate interference within enforcement agencies have heightened public concern about institutional integrity.
"Today, disclosure after disclosure is being made, yet there is still no visible concrete action that can reassure the public that enforcement institutions are truly carrying out their functions.
"For the MACC and the Royal Malaysia Police, which have been implicated in misconduct scandals, particularly involving corporate mafia, national enforcement agencies are being accused of being manipulated by certain parties for their own interests," he said.
Separately, Democratic People's League president Hamdin Nordin said the controversy extends beyond individual accountability and reflects deeper institutional concerns.
"We are embarrassed when international media report misconduct and negligence among senior officers of the country’s integrity commission.
"Azam Baki has become a symbol of the damage within the MACC that must be resolved immediately," he said.
He also expressed disappointment that parliamentary debate on the matter had been curtailed on the grounds that it could interfere with ongoing investigations.
"We believe the MACC is a public institution funded by taxpayers’ money and should be debated in Parliament," he said.
Bersih executive director Asraf Sharafi echoed calls for stronger leadership, urging clearer direction from the government.
"We have not received clear answers and we do not know what is being done or what the government actually intends in reforming the MACC.
"There is no concrete action, no clear direction from the government, especially from the Prime Minister himself, to resolve this issue," he said.
Organisers said the rally will centre on three key demands, including the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, calls for Azam Baki’s arrest, and comprehensive reforms to the MACC alongside guarantees for freedom of expression.
The secretariat added that the planned assembly has so far secured the backing of 33 non-governmental organisations and civil society groups, signalling growing momentum behind calls for accountability and institutional reform. - March 30, 2026
