Corruption

Why Azam is not prepared to say that he is prepared appear before the Parliamentary SSC on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department to clear himself of the conflict-of-interest allegation against him first made more than two months ago

By Kit

January 05, 2022

(Versi BM)

The Chairman of the MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board Abu Zahar Ujang said the MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki had told the Board on Nov. 24 that his trading account was used by his brother to acquire shares in two companies in 2015.

Abu Zahar said the Board was satisfied with Azam’s explanation that he had neither pecuniary interest nor conflict of interest in the acquisition of those shares.

The pertinent question is why Azam is not prepared to say that he is prepared to appear before the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department; to clear himself of the conflict-of-interest allegations first made against him more than two months ago.

Furthermore, is his brother prepared to appear before the Parliamentary SSC?

Surely a clearance of any conflict-of-interest by the Parliamentary SSC on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department has more credibility and value than a clearance from one of MACC’s own committees.

In this connection, the MACC owes the medical profession a full apology for releasing an advertisement about corrupt doctors at a time when the MACC is facing questions about its own integrity.

The ‘anti-corruption’ awareness video posted by the MACC on Twitter depicted an example of how bribery may take place at a clinic to obtain a medical certificate (MC).

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Koh Kar Chai is right in his criticism of the video as “an insult to the sanctity and image of the medical profession”.

Why didn’t the MACC released a video depicting the corruption of Ministers or MPs?

I am generally disappointed by the MACC “tell-all” press conference today, as it had left many questions unanswered.

I had said that Malaysians and the world are worried that Malaysia will slide back to become again a kleptocracy and I had asked the “tell-all” MACC press conference tell Malaysians what the MACC is doing to prevent Malaysia sliding back as a kleptocracy and what the MACC expect of the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2021 with regard to Malaysia, as the TI CPI 2021 is expected to be released later this month.

Yesterday, a senior MACC enforcement officer was charged in court for the misappropriation of RM25 million of cash evidence linked to a major corruption case.

It is the for the courts to decide whether the senior MACC officer was guilty.

But if the MACC is having problems inculcating the value of integrity among MACC officers, how does the MACC expect to be successful in inculcating the value of Integrity among the Malaysian population?

Shouldn’t the subject of integrity and anti-corruption be taught in schools from the primary level onwards?

Electoral watchdog Bersih has criticised Putrajaya for appointing Alor Gajah MP Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof as the chairperson of Boustead Holdings Bhd, on the ground that the appointment was unethical as it was an attempt to solicit support.

Bersih said the appointment presented the possibility of systemic abuse which will only come at the expense of the country’s development and the economic performance of government agencies, especially large-scale financial abuses like the 1MDB scandal.

What is the MACC’s position on Redzuan’s appointment?

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang; in Gelang Patah on Wednesday, 5th January 2022)

Mengapakah Azam tidak bersedia untuk mengatakan yang beliau bersedia untuk hadir memberikan kenyataan kepada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen untuk membersihkan nama beliau daripada pertuduhan konflik kepentingan yang mula timbul sejak dua bulan yang lepas

Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihat Pencegahan Rasuah SPRM Abu Zahar Ujang berkata Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki telah memberitahu Lembaga Pengarah pada 24 November bahawa akaun dagangannya digunakan oleh adiknya untuk memperoleh saham dalam dua syarikat pada tahun 2015.

Abu Zahar berkata Lembaga Pengarah berpuas hati dengan penjelasan Azam bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai kepentingan kewangan mahupun konflik kepentingan dalam pemerolehan saham tersebut.

Mengapakah Azam tidak bersedia untuk mengatakan yang beliau bersedia untuk hadir memberikan kenyataan kepada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri untuk membersihkan nama beliau daripada pertuduhan konflik kepentingan yang mula timbul sejak dua bulan yang lepas.

Tambahan pula, adakah adiknya bersedia untuk hadir memberikan keterangan kepada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen?

Pastinya pengesahan mengenai ketiadaan sebarang konflik kepentingan oleh Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri adalah lebih berkredibiliti dan bernilai daripada keputusan sebuah jawatankuasa SPRM sendiri.

Selain itu, SPRM perlu memohon maaf kepada profesion perubatan kerana telah menyiarkan iklan mengenai doktor yang korup pada suatu masa di mana SPRM sendiri berhadapan dengan persoalan yang serius tentang integritinya sendiri.

Video kesedaran ‘anti rasuah’ yang disiarkan SPRM di Twitter menggambarkan contoh bagaimana rasuah boleh berlaku di klinik untuk mendapatkan sijil perubatan (MC).

Presiden Persatuan Perubatan Malaysia (MMA) Dr Koh Kar Chai betul dalam kritikannya terhadap video yang dikatakan sebagai “penghinaan terhadap kemurnian dan imej profesion perubatan”.

Mengapa SPRM tidak mengeluarkan video yang menggambarkan rasuah dalam kalangan Menteri atau Ahli Parlimen?

Saya secara amnya kecewa dengan sidang media “dedah segalanya” SPRM hari ini, kerana ia telah meninggalkan banyak persoalan yang tidak terjawab.

Saya telah berkata bahawa rakyat Malaysia dan dunia bimbang Malaysia akan kembali menjadi kleptokrasi dan saya telah meminta sidang media SPRM untuk memberitahu rakyat Malaysia apa yang SPRM lakukan untuk menghalang Malaysia mundur sebagai kleptokrasi dan apa jangkaan SPRM mengenai Indeks Persepsi Rasuah Transparency International 2021 untuk Malaysia, yang dijangkakan diterbitkan lewat bulan ini.

Semalam, seorang pegawai penguat kuasa kanan SPRM didakwa di mahkamah atas kesalahan penyelewengan RM25 juta wang tunai yang merupakan bukti yang berkaitan dengan kes rasuah besar.

Terpulang kepada mahkamah untuk memutuskan sama ada pegawai kanan SPRM itu bersalah.

Tetapi jika SPRM menghadapi masalah untuk menyemai nilai integriti dalam kalangan pegawai SPRM, bagaimanakah SPRM menjangkakan akan berjaya menerapkan nilai integriti dalam kalangan penduduk Malaysia?

Bukankah nilai integriti dan anti-rasuah ini perlu diajar dari peringkat sekolah rendah lagi?

Badan pemantau pilihan raya, Bersih, telah mengkritik Putrajaya kerana melantik Ahli Parlimen Alor Gajah Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof sebagai pengerusi Boustead Holdings Bhd, atas alasan pelantikan itu tidak beretika kerana ia cuba mendapatkan sokongan.

Bersih berkata pelantikan itu menimbulkan kemungkinan penyalahgunaan sistemik yang hanya akan mengorbankan pembangunan negara dan prestasi ekonomi agensi kerajaan, terutamanya penyalahgunaan kewangan berskala besar seperti skandal 1MDB.

Apakah pendirian SPRM mengenai pelantikan Redzuan?

(Kenyataan Media (2) Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Rabu, 5 Januari 2022)