KUALA LUMPUR – The Parliamentary Special Committee (PSC) on Corruption has resolved that an investigation must be conducted into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki over the reported purchase of public shares worth millions of ringgits with his trading account.
The committee’s chairman Tan Sri Rais Yatim, who is Dewan Negara speaker, said this was the outcome from the latest meeting held by PSC to discuss various issues concerning combatting graft in the country. Among the things deliberated on included the controversy surrounding Azam.
He stressed that Azam has pledged to cooperate with regards to any probe against him. However, he may not be suspended in the interim.
“The practice is that when a civil servant is investigated, the officer in question should be suspended temporarily.
“But there are some views saying (what Azam did) is not criminal in nature and might merely be a wrongdoing. So it’s best to leave it to investigators.
“I am also aware that in other high-profile cases, civil servants were not put on leave or suspended,” he said during a press conference in Parliament today.
According to Rais, the main question of concern would be whether Azam had made declarations about his ownership of shares.
He pointed towards a government circular issued in 2002 that stipulates civil servants are not allowed to purchase shares exceeding RM100,000.
“So besides the shares itself, another matter to be investigated is whether those assets were purchased as a beneficiary or personally,” Rais added.
He then also touched on political economist Prof Edmund Terence Gomez’s criticism on the matter, saying that voicing out is a basic right.
Gomez recently resigned as a member of MACC’s consultative and corruption prevention panel over the alleged conflict of interest.
However, Rais said complaints must be made with the highest prudence or at least using the right channel.
“At the same time, his role as a whistle-blower should not be doubted and must have value as a basis for investigations,” Rais said.
He pointed out that the purchase of shares took place six years ago may well be within Azam’s rights, but a factual investigation is important.
“Six years ago it happened. Was a declaration made? he said. “That wasn’t clear. We in the PSC recommend an investigation to be conducted.”
He also said that the matter has been communicated with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and a meeting with him will be held soon to allow the PSC to hand over their report and recommendations.
At the press conference on January 5, Azam had said that his brother, Nasir Baki, used his share-trading account to purchase shares in a private company in 2015, but maintained that he had no vested interest or benefit.
He went on to explain that all the shares were eventually moved to Nasir’s account and insisted that he saw no issue with allowing his brother to initially use his. – The Vibes, January 14, 2021
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