Topic: MACC Independence, Political Corruption & Conflict of Interest, Good Governance & Anti-Corruption
Related news: https://www.thesundaily.my/home/gomez-macc-s-inaction-is-an-act-of-cover-up-AM8718673
Coverage by: The Sun Daily
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) panel member Prof Edmund Terence Gomez (also a member of C4 Center’s Board of Directors) believes that there is an attempt to sidestep the allegations against its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki(pix), The Vibes reports.
Terence said so far, the body’s advisory board chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang and Tan Sri Borhan Dolah, who chairs the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel, are reluctant to investigate the issue.
“Why is it that the chairman of the advisory board and the chairman of my panel, after initially deciding to have a meeting, decided not to go ahead with it?
“This seems to suggest that there does not seem to be an arm’s-length relationship between the advisory board and the chief commissioner of MACC.
“This seems to be – and you used the word cover-up – this seems to be an attempt not to pursue this investigation further into this complaint that we received.
“There seems to be a shroud of secrecy over this matter. All this raises the question on why is there a shroud of secrecy over this matter?” Gomez told The Vibes.
Terence Gomez recently had tendered his resignation as a member of the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) of the MACC.
In his resignation letter to MACC panel chairman Tan Sri Borhan Dolah, Gomez said his resignation was in protest to Borhan’s inaction as a panel chairman.
Gomez, in the letter said he had raised two issues in regards to the allegation against Azam Baki.
Azam was reported to have links to several companies, which sparked a conflict of interest situation regarding his position as a MACC chief commissioner, as reported by Independent News Service based on Edisi Siasat’s blog.
Previously, Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa also raised in Parliament the allegation that Azam owns close to two million shares in public-listed companies, according to Malaysiakini.
