The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) noted reports that MACC was investigating the Perikatan Nasional-led (PN) government’s purported spending of RM600 billion and the claim that then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin gave Umno millions of ringgit to help the party during the 2020 Sabah election.
C4 questioned why it did not launch a probe when PN was in the government, claiming that MACC had appeared to serve the interests of the ruling administration and did not act independently as governments came and went.
“Disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak was only investigated and charged in court over the 1MDB scandal after his Barisan Nasional government was voted out of power in 2018.
“Similarly, former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng was only investigated for bribery in the Penang undersea tunnel case after Pakatan Harapan was ousted and replaced by PN in 2020,” it said in a statement.
C4 said this caused the public to lose confidence in MACC, adding that it was clear the agency could not function properly in its current state without the implementation of systemic reforms.
The group said MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki must be removed from the post and replaced by someone with a better track record, citing the issue over Azam’s share ownership.
It said MACC must not be under the Prime Minister’s Office for it to act independently of the executive.
“A special committee must be set up to implement the long overdue reforms to the structure of MACC, involving an amendment of the Federal Constitution for the establishment of an independent anti-corruption commission (IACC),” it said.
C4 also repeated calls for the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Official Secrets Act to be amended to better protect insiders who expose corrupt practices.
On Tuesday, a source said MACC will summon former Ketereh MP Annuar Musa and Muhyiddin over Annuar’s claim that Muhyiddin gave Umno millions of ringgit to help the party during the 2020 Sabah election.
Meanwhile, it was reported that MACC will call up Muhyiddin, Tengku Zafrul Aziz and Khairy Jamaluddin over the alleged expenditure of RM600 billion by the PN-led government.