Further investigations must be conducted into Azam - Parliamentary special committee

Focus

By MUHAMMAD YUSAINY MOHAMAD YUNUS

14 Jan 2022 01:37pm

Parliamentary Special Committee on Corruption chairman Rais Yatim said Azam should have declared his assets or shares.

SHAH ALAM - The Parliamentary Special Committee (PSC) on Corruption agreed 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 by his brother.

The committee’s chairman Tan Sri Rais Yatim said this was the outcome of the latest meeting held by the committee to discuss various issues regarding anti-corruption issues happening in the country.

He said among the things deliberated were the controversy surrounding Azam.

Rais, who is also Dewan Negara president, said it was up to the Public Service Commission to decide if Azam should take a leave of absence pending investigations.

"Typically, civil servants who are under investigation should be temporarily suspended.

“But there are some views saying (what Azam did) is not criminal in nature and might merely be wrongdoing. So it’s best to leave it to investigators.

"There have also been other high-profile cases in the past where civil servants were not put on leave or suspended,” he said during a press conference in Parliament today.

Rais said the main issue now was whether Azam had made declarations about his ownership of shares.

According to a government circular issued in 2002 that stipulates civil servants are not allowed to purchase shares exceeding RM100,000.

He added that besides the shares themselves, another matter to be investigated was whether those assets were purchased as a beneficiary or personally.

"Declaration of assets or shares must be in line with the Services Circular 1993 and Services Circular 2002 that was established by the Public Services Department and Cabinet.

“In the case of Azam Baki, has an investigation been carried out?

“With the purchase of the asset at that level, has his superior been informed about the purchase?” said Rais at a press conference after chairing the special committee meeting on Friday (Jan 14).