SHAH ALAM – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that investigations into allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki must be allowed to proceed transparently and without undue influence.
Speaking after Friday prayers at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Polytechnic here, Anwar said a special committee set up to examine the matter should be given space to “study the case first” and determine whether there is a basis for action.
“We need to know the case first whether it is serious, whether there is a basis only then will we take action,” he said, adding that pressure or assumptions of victimisation should not drive the process.
Anwar was responding to questions on whether Azam should be placed on leave amid the ongoing scrutiny.
The prime minister also urged MACC officers to remain steadfast in their anti-corruption duties, warning that allegations and high-profile integrity cases often attract strong reactions but should not disrupt the agency’s work.
Support for anti-graft efforts in the country, he noted, remains low across political lines and civil society, making the commission’s role even more critical.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who is also government spokesman, confirmed that the special committee’s formation was approved at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Anwar.
The controversy stems from a Bloomberg report that Azam held shares worth about RM800,000 in a financial services company, based on corporate filings. Azam previously defended the shareholding as having been acquired transparently and in accordance with procedures. -MalayaDailyToday
