Azam (middle) flanked by MACC Sarawak director Datuk Mohd Zaki Hassan (left) and MACC strategic communications director Kamaruddin M. Ripin during the dialogue.
KUCHING (Feb 6): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will carry out investigations on any person regardless if they are Tun or holders of other honorific titles as long as the case is under its jurisdiction, stressed its Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
“I give you my assurance that whoever they are (be it) Tun, Tan Sri, Datuk, Sir or Mister, we will investigate if there is a complaint and it is under our jurisdiction.
“Whoever it is, (if) the person is Tun or not Tun, if there is accusation, we will investigate, no problem there,” he said during a dialogue at the Program Cakna Rasuah: MACC with the Media at a hotel here today.
He was asked if there is any investigation carried out on a certain Tun in Sarawak, after he stated in his speech earlier that MACC are now investigating several ‘Tuns’.
To another question, he said some cases investigated by MACC on high profile individuals were referred to the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers who then ordered for no further action.
“All cases, I give you my assurance, we have investigated the cases,” he said.
Around 50 participants comprising members of the local media fraternity attended the programme.
Touching on the ‘favourite’ corruption crime cases in Sarawak, Azam said this involved false claims which are rampant involving unimplemented or half-completed works for certain projects.
He explained such cases are under Section 18, MACC Act 2009 involving leakages in public funds.
As such, he said MACC Sarawak has been instructed to carry out awareness campaigns to deter the public as well as civil servants from making false claims.
Earlier in his speech, he said four main offences stipulated in the MACC Act 2009 are Soliciting/Receiving Gratification (Bribe) [Section 16 & 17(a)], Offering/Giving Gratification (Bribe) [Section 17(b)], Intending to Deceive (False Claim) [Section 18 MACC Act 2009] and Using Office or Position for Gratification (Bribe) (Abuse of Power/Position) [Section 23].
“Statistics based on MACC operations from 2019 to 2023 totalled 33,695 pieces of information received, 4,570 investigation papers issued, 4,996 arrests, 2,129 accusations and 1,075 convictions across the country.
“In Sarawak, which involves the capacity of 168 officers and around 30 investigating officers, the statistics show from 2019 to 2023 that there were 319 investigation papers issued, 303 arrests, 165 accused and 95 conviction cases,” he said.
He also advised the public to continue to help MACC prevent corruption and not to worry about the disclosure of personal information as it is protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) and the Witness Protection Act 2009 (Act 696).