KUALA LUMPUR, — A crowd gathered in the city centre today to demand the resignation of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, who is facing scrutiny over a shareholding scandal.
The protest, led by institutional reform group Bersih, voiced criticism of the government’s response to the controversy, calling for stronger action against Azam. Demonstrators, dressed in black, symbolically represented what they perceive as a deep institutional rot threatening the ruling coalition’s reformist agenda.
Among those present was former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, who addressed the crowd, reminding the current government that public frustration with systemic corruption was a key factor in bringing them to power. “You say we whine and nyet, nyet, nyet. Well, this 22 years of whining and nyet-nyet-nyet against power and the corrupted is what made you prime minister,” Rafizi said, echoing a sentiment of long-held public discontent.
The controversy stems from a Bloomberg report alleging that Azam held shares exceeding the limits permitted for civil servants as of . Public service officers are reportedly restricted to share ownership valued at no more than RM100,000 (at the time of purchase) or 5 per cent of a company’s paid-up capital, whichever is lower.
Rafizi and other Members of Parliament have characterized the allegations as damaging to the MACC’s credibility, given its mandate to combat corruption. Azam has responded to the allegations by initiating a lawsuit, maintaining his innocence. He is also currently refusing to take a leave of absence while a special task force investigates the matter, a task force established in the wake of the Bloomberg report.
Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, a former minister in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet, noted that today’s protest mirrored a similar rally held in , which Anwar himself had attended. That earlier protest also centered on reports of Azam’s share ownership exceeding permitted thresholds.
“We are assembling here for that same reason…an agency tasked with fighting corruption must be free (from negative influence),” Nik Nazmi stated, urging the government to enact reforms within the MACC. He questioned the purpose of holding power if it isn’t used to drive meaningful change.
In addition to calls for Azam’s resignation, Rafizi, Nik Nazmi, and six other PKR MPs have urged the government to broaden the scope of the special task force’s investigation. They want the task force to investigate allegations that a group of businessmen are leveraging the MACC to intimidate company owners, allegedly in an attempt to force them to relinquish ownership of their businesses.
Bloomberg reported on these allegations, citing sources within the MACC and the police who are familiar with the alleged methods used. The MACC has denied these claims, dismissing them as baseless.
