Muhyiddin: I am not the one who appointed Azam

PUTRAJAYA - Former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has asked not to drag him into the stocks ownership scandal revolving around the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

Muhyiddin said Azam’s appointment went through the necessary processes.

The National Recovery Council chairman was the prime minister when Azam became chief "It was not me who appointed him but certified by the committee where the former Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali who proposed and endorsed his name," he said at a press conference at the National Rehabilitation Council meeting here on Monday.

He added that Azm was qualified for the job and fulfilled all the criteria.

“Such an important position in government is decided so easily,” he said.

Muhyiddin said Azam’s appointment was to fill in the vacancy after Latheefa Koya resigned.

He said there was nothing wrong with procedural appointment made by the chief secretary and later he presented it to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s consent.

He added that he did not want to comment on the matter further.

Azam has been under public scrutiny in recent weeks over his acquisition of millions of shares in two public-listed companies back in 2015.

During a press conference on Jan 5, he said that he had done nothing wrong, stating that his brother had used his account to carry out the purchases.

However, the Securities Commission in a press statement said it would call Azam in for questioning over possible conflict of interest after he admitted to proxy stock trading.

News about Azam’s holding of shares in several companies were brought to light by a freelance investigative journalist late last year.

Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said raised the issue of his appointment and whether Muhyiddin had darried out due deligence before making him chief commisoner in March 2020