JOHOR BARU, Jan 6 — A Johor Opposition parliamentarian today called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to conduct a full probe into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki for possible wrongdoing and breach of conduct.
PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said it was important that Ismail Sabri resolves the controversy as Azam’s position in the MACC currently hangs in the balance after it emerged that he allegedly owned millions of publicly listed shares.
He said the prime minister should first advise Azam to take a leave of absence before seeking the advice of the attorney general (AG), who also acts as the government's legal adviser as well as a public prosecutor on the issue.
“(Tan Sri) Azam was appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to the post of the MACC chief commissioner on the advice of the prime minister under Article 40 (1) of the Federal Constitution.
“The MACC is under the jurisdiction of the prime minister, and it means that Azam, as the commission’s chief, is accountable to Ismail Sabri.
“Ismail Sabri needs to start the initiative so that an official report to the MACC and also the Royal Malaysia Police on Azam is made,” said Hassan in a statement issued here today.
He was commenting on Azam being embroiled in controversy over his alleged acquisition of millions of shares in two public-listed companies in 2015.
During a press conference yesterday, the career civil servant said he had allowed his brother to use his share trading account to buy those shares.
Hassan, who is also a lawyer/social activist, said the proposed probe should then professionally submit both the MACC and police investigation papers to the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“From there, the attorney general will take the lead as a public prosecutor and decide whether a charge should be imposed on Azam,” he said.
Hassan said such a move, if undertaken by Ismail Sabri, will show that he is handling the issue seriously, prudently and responsibly based on the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution.
Yesterday, MACC’s Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (LPPR) chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang during a press conference asserted that the board met Azam on November 24 to seek an explanation on the allegations that have since plagued the anti-graft commissioner.
It is understood that the shares in question were transferred to Azam’s brother, Nasir Baki, in 2015 — based on a statement by Abu Zahar during the press conference.
Abu Zahar also vouched for Azam, saying that the board had cleared Azam of any wrongdoing or conflict of interest.
The controversy erupted when Edmund Gomez, a political economics professor, resigned from MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel last December 28 in protest of purported inaction against allegations of Azam’s ownership of the publicly traded stocks.
