SUPP Youth calls for probe, transparency over MACC chief allegations

Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) logo.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Feb 13: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Youth Central has urged an immediate and transparent review into allegations surrounding the leadership of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), warning that public confidence in the country’s anti-graft framework is at stake.

In a press statement today, the movement expressed serious concern over recent international media reports involving MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, including claims related to share ownership and alleged corporate collusion.

It said the reports have drawn both national and international attention, and stressed that any allegation involving the head of the federal anti-corruption body carries significant implications for public trust.

“As MACC is a federal commission placed under the Prime Minister’s Department, any allegation concerning its top leadership inevitably carries significant implications for public confidence in our anti-corruption framework.

“MACC plays a critical role in safeguarding integrity, transparency, and good governance in Malaysia. Therefore, it is imperative that any allegation, especially those involving its highest office, be addressed swiftly, transparently, and comprehensively to protect the credibility of the institution,” it said.

SUPP Youth Central further called on the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board and the Special Committee on Corruption to urgently review the matter and provide clear clarification to the public.

It also urged the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Corruption to summon MACC leadership to explain the allegations, with findings properly tabled in Parliament of Malaysia in the interest of transparency and accountability.

The group described the issue as one of national and public interest, saying the strength of an anti-corruption institution lies not only in its enforcement powers but also in the confidence it commands from the people.

Separately, SUPP Youth Central reiterated its call for the federal government to expedite the tabling of the proposed National Ombudsman Bill.

It pointed out that Sarawak has already taken the lead by introducing its own Ombudsman law through the Sarawak Ombudsman Ordinance 2023, which came into force in April 2024.

“An Ombudsman institution with the authority to report directly to the Legislative Assembly, and whose reports carry legal weight and may trigger Select Committee reviews, strengthens institutional accountability and enhances public trust in governance,” it added. — DayakDaily