KUALA LUMPUR – The Pakatan Harapan secretarial council today slammed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki for “trying to drag the royal institution” into his ongoing debacle over his share-trading account while reiterating calls for him to go on leave.
A statement issued by the council said Azam’s insistence that his tenure as chief commissioner can only be ended by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is irresponsible, saying a royal appointment is not equivalent to being above the law.
“As such, the secretarial council is of the view that Azam now has no choice but to go on leave until all investigations against him have concluded.
“If he refuses, we urge the prime minister to listen to the views of all parties who have voiced their concerns on this issue, including those in government, and to take stern action and put Azam on leave.”
They said the governance and administration of the MACC remains the utmost priority, and even called for investigations to be initiated against all former chief commissioners.
“The prime minister must stop protecting or nurturing Azam directly or otherwise, because Azam could change from being an enforcer of anti-corruption laws to an offender of the law.
The statement was signed by PKR’s Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Amanah’s Datuk Hatta Ramli, DAP’s Anthony Loke, and Upko’s Nelson Anggang.
This follows reports quoting Azam saying he would not step down, and said the only qualified individual that can end his tenure is the king, following allegations of him owning millions of shares and warrants in public listed companies.
As for why he took time to respond to the controversy, Azam said he will reveal the truth when the time is right, and as the nation’s highest-ranking graft-buster, he has other work to attend to.
The council added it is in support of the recent statement made by Dewan Negara President Tan Sri Rais Yatim, when the latter called for Azam to be put on leave while he remains the subject of investigations.
Yesterday, Rais hinted at the need for the controversy surrounding Azam to be deliberated in Parliament, considering how the topic has now become a pertinent issue since it was rejected by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun last December. – The Vibes, January 15, 2022
