'Extending Azam's tenure will damage what's left of Harapan's credibility'
Published: Dec 3, 2025 1:35 PM
Updated: 4:41 PM
PKR MP Rafizi Ramli warned that any move to extend MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s contract for the fourth time will erode whatever is left of Pakatan Harapan’s credibility in its commitment to eradicate corruption.
The former economy minister said with Azam embroiled in controversies, it was time for the government to let him go.
“If people ask me what Harapan should do for a start after getting routed in Sabah, I would say we must rebuild our credibility as graft busters.
“And it should begin with having a new MACC chief commissioner,” Rafizi (above) said on X today.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said declined to address the potential contract extension for Azam.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki
In a parliamentary written reply, Azalina cited a Standing Order in declining to answer a related question from Rafizi.
“In line with Standing Order 23(1)(h), questions regarding proposals or plans that are of a speculative nature are not suitable for specific answers as they involve matters that ‘have not yet become a problem’ or are of a ‘merely speculative’ nature,” the minister said.
Azalina added that decisions on any future contract extensions will be made based on performance evaluations, agency needs, and appropriate considerations at a suitable time.
Azam received his third contract extension last year, with his tenure set to expire on May 12 next year.
Amid criticism, Anwar defended his decision, saying Azam had shown “extraordinary courage” in tackling high-level corruption.
Nurul Izzah, DAP must act
Taking pot shots at Azalina’s response, Rafizi jested that the government’s reply to his question was “vague”, just like the support letter issued by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s former political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin.
The Pandan lawmaker was referring to the reply given by Anwar when the support letter scandal broke out, where the Tambun MP had initially described the letter as “vague” and was not an instruction.
In a parliamentary written reply, Azalina cited a Standing Order in declining to answer a related question from Rafizi.
“In line with Standing Order 23(1)(h), questions regarding proposals or plans that are of a speculative nature are not suitable for specific answers as they involve matters that ‘have not yet become a problem’ or are of a ‘merely speculative’ nature,” the minister said.
Azalina added that decisions on any future contract extensions will be made based on performance evaluations, agency needs, and appropriate considerations at a suitable time.
Azam received his third contract extension last year, with his tenure set to expire on May 12 next year.
Amid criticism, Anwar defended his decision, saying Azam had shown “extraordinary courage” in tackling high-level corruption.
Nurul Izzah, DAP must act
Taking pot shots at Azalina’s response, Rafizi jested that the government’s reply to his question was “vague”, just like the support letter issued by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s former political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin.
The Pandan lawmaker was referring to the reply given by Anwar when the support letter scandal broke out, where the Tambun MP had initially described the letter as “vague” and was not an instruction.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Rafizi argued that Anwar cannot run from the fact that the people would judge his commitment to combat corruption based on the decision he would make over Azam’s tenure.
“However, the prime minister won’t listen if I’m the one saying this.
“It’s better if (PKR deputy president) Nurul Izzah publicly says this. It would be even better if Anthony Loke and DAP say this in the open.
“Only then can Harapan and PKR’s credibility be rebuilt little by little,” he added.
Last month, businessperson Albert Tei, who had been making exposés involving several Sabah politicians in corruption, implicated Azam in the scandal.
In a video recording with a woman named Sofia Rini Buyong, the latter told the businessperson that Anwar had given his blessings for the Sabah politicians to be secretly recorded.
She also claimed that Shamsul had met with Azam at an undisclosed time to ask the MACC chief to “settle” the Sabah mining scandal case involving Tei, prompting calls for the national agency and Azam to be recused from the probe on Shamsul.
“However, the prime minister won’t listen if I’m the one saying this.
“It’s better if (PKR deputy president) Nurul Izzah publicly says this. It would be even better if Anthony Loke and DAP say this in the open.
“Only then can Harapan and PKR’s credibility be rebuilt little by little,” he added.
Last month, businessperson Albert Tei, who had been making exposés involving several Sabah politicians in corruption, implicated Azam in the scandal.
In a video recording with a woman named Sofia Rini Buyong, the latter told the businessperson that Anwar had given his blessings for the Sabah politicians to be secretly recorded.
She also claimed that Shamsul had met with Azam at an undisclosed time to ask the MACC chief to “settle” the Sabah mining scandal case involving Tei, prompting calls for the national agency and Azam to be recused from the probe on Shamsul.
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