PM justifies Azam’s contract extension, says MACC chief’s performance satisfactory
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the call was made to extend Tan Sri Azam Baki’s contract after taking into consideration various factors, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief’s conduct while carrying out his duties.
“[Azam] was appointed during [former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s] time. So far, I have monitored his performance and he has done [his job] well. On that basis, we decided to continue his service,” Anwar said when quizzed about the matter during a press conference in Putrajaya earlier today (May 12).
Last week, the announcement that Azam’s contract has been extended for a year has courted backlash from various quarters as he had made headlines following allegations of his ownership of shares in two public-listed companies in late 2021.
While Azam had denied any wrongdoing, several watchdog groups and Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders called for an investigation to be opened into the matter.
Azam was also reported to have been queried by three different MACC committees over the matter.
However, then law minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the issue was resolved after the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) decided that there was no case.
In the Dewan Rakyat in March, Anwar had defended his decision not to replace Azam, saying he wanted to break the convention that a change of guard in the agency was necessary whenever a new prime minister was appointed.
Anwar said his decision was also influenced by MACC’s status as an independent body. – May 12, 2023
Anwar's claims of being intolerant of corruption are becoming more and more difficult to believe.
ReplyDeleteAn important part of being "intolerant of corruption" is that so-called Satisfactory Performance cannot be used to condone malpractice and corruption in an office holder.
Azam Baki was exposed in 2021 as being guilty of Either
a) Operating a share trading account in his name as a proxy of others - which is an offence under the law
.
Or - if the shares were strictly his
.
b) Owning and trading a substantial body of shares assets - worth over RM 300 K at purchase price - without declaring this as required by Civil Service rules - amounting to misconduct.
Either way , Azam Baki should have been removed from office.
Anwar should have extended Azam's contract for 3 or 5 years since he (Anwar) thinks Azam is doing a good job as head of MACC. Or maybe Azam's contract should be extended until death. That will really show Anwar's confidence in Azam.
ReplyDeleteAnwar presumably now believes Azam is the embodiment of a very clean head of MACC.
Never mind that PH had previously wanted Azam to be investigated for the share ownership issue.
Anyway, in Malaysia, politicians doing a u-turn on their principles is nothing new!