Nurul Izzah calls for Parliament oversight to boost MACC accountability

Nurul Izzah calls for Parliament oversight to boost MACC accountability



Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar said the determination to clean up the system without regard to rank or status must be accompanied by due process, transparency and sustainable prosecutions to command public trust. — Bernama pic

Tuesday, 10 Feb 2026 9:17 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — The government must establish an Independent Oversight Committee that reports directly to Parliament to strengthen accountability and restore public confidence in the nation’s anti-corruption framework, said PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar.

While acknowledging that the fight against corruption under the Madani administration has been more active compared with previous eras, she stressed that activity alone does not necessarily equate to accountability, noting that growing public concern over the integrity of anti-corruption institutions has resurfaced repeatedly in recent months.

Nurul Izzah said the determination to clean up the system without regard to rank or status must be accompanied by due process, transparency and sustainable prosecutions to command public trust.

“The proposed oversight committee should be empowered to review enforcement actions, scrutinise decisions related to asset freezes, audit financial flows and ensure anti-corruption efforts are guided by evidence, due process and the public interest.

“This is not about weakening the fight against corruption. On the contrary, it is about strengthening it by restoring credibility, transparency and public trust. If we are serious about reform, then our institutions must not only be powerful; they must also be answerable,” she said in a Letter to the Editor.

Nurul Izzah added that institutions must not only be powerful but also answerable, so that justice is pursued without fear or favour and no one, including those entrusted with enforcement, stand above scrutiny.

She stressed that a strong, independent and fearless Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is indispensable to any credible anti-corruption agenda, adding that questioning how power is exercised should not be construed as an attack on enforcement institutions.


“We are seeing investigations involving high-profile political figures, former ministers, senior civil servants, and even cases linked to the defence sector.

“In recent years, we have seen repeated instances where assets, often belonging to prominent or wealthy individuals, are frozen without sufficient public explanation, only to be unfrozen later without clear justification,” she said.

She added that enforcement actions, no matter how well-intentioned, must never be perceived as reckless or arbitrary, particularly in cases involving the freezing of assets.

Referring to recent revelations surrounding the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) scandal, Nurul Izzah said the allegations involving millions of ringgit and senior officers within the Armed Forces has dealt a serious blow to public confidence.

She said beyond individual scandals, the rakyat are raising deeper concerns about how enforcement powers are exercised and monitored, noting that the concentration of vast investigative, prosecutorial and financial powers within a single institution under the MACC Act, coupled with limited external oversight, poses systemic risks.

“Corruption is not merely the failure of individuals, but the product of systems that tolerate, protect, and at times even reward misconduct,” she said.

She reiterated that the rakyat do not want selective enforcement or performative crackdowns, but certainty that investigations are evidence-led, prosecutions are sustainable and stolen wealth is fully recovered for the benefit of the nation. — Bernama

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Glad to hear from her again  😂😂😂