The MACC controversy Malaysia cannot ignore

We, the members of G25, are deeply concerned by the ongoing controversy surrounding the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

This matter is not new. Concerns regarding shareholdings and compliance with civil service regulations have continued to crop up, placing the nation’s top anti-corruption institution under public scrutiny.

This issue raises fundamental questions about conflict of interest, compliance with established rules, and the standards expected of those entrusted with governance in our country, specifically, in the prevention and elimination of corrupt practices in our nation.

The MACC chief occupies a uniquely sensitive role. As the head of an anti-corruption agency, he must not only comply with the law but must be seen to uphold the highest of its standards beyond reproach. Where ambiguities arise, they must be resolved quickly and transparently.

Senior officials cannot be perceived to receive different standards of scrutiny. When enforcement appears selective, it undermines trust in our institutions of governance.

The fight against corruption cannot succeed if the public perceives that there are different rules for different levels of authority, even more so if it involves the person meant to be leading the charge against corruption.

The “Madani” (trustworthy) government has consistently claimed to champion integrity, good governance and institutional reform. Those commitments must be reflected in action.

Where controversy arises, especially involving the head of the nation’s anti-corruption body, a full and independent investigation and review must be expeditiously taken to reassure the public that no conflict of interest exists and that all applicable rules have been fully observed.

Failure to get this done risks being interpreted as political protection and double standards rather than good governance. In this regard, we welcome the government’s announcement that a special task force has been formed to investigate the MACC chief commissioner.

However, with regards to the task force, we G25 are concerned with the appointment of the attorney general as chairman of the task force. While the attorney general may sit on the task force in view of his constitutional role and legal expertise, he should not chair it. As the government’s principal legal adviser and the authority responsible for prosecutions, having him lead the task force may give rise to perceptions of institutional conflict.

This investigation must not only be fair, but be clearly seen to be independent of the executive branch. Public confidence would be better served if the task force were to be chaired by a retired senior judge or an equally independent and respected figure with no direct reporting line within the current administrative hierarchy.

In matters of integrity at the highest levels, independence must be beyond question. Even the perception of internal oversight may undermine trust in the process and its eventual findings.

We, the members of G25, therefore call on the government to ensure that the investigation into these allegations by the task force is carried out promptly, transparently, and as independently as possible.

We also call on the government to put the chief commissioner on garden leave, as it is only prudent to do so while investigations are underway to prove that the government is taking the allegations seriously and that no one is above the rule of law or beyond public scrutiny.

In addition, the scope of the task force’s inquiry must not be confined solely to investigating the chief commissioner, but needs to address the wider and troubling allegations that the MACC itself has operated in a manner akin to a “corporate mafia”.

These are serious claims that go to the integrity of the institution as a whole and therefore require a thorough, independent, and comprehensive review. This is necessary to uphold public confidence in our institutions.

Other than these immediate measures, meaningful reform of the MACC must go beyond ad hoc task forces.

In order to enhance its independence, the MACC must be removed from the Prime Minister’s Department and be placed under parliamentary oversight through the creation of a constitutionally mandated Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC).

This would require amendments to the Federal Constitution and related laws to guarantee independence, oversight powers and security of tenure for Commissioners.

The IACC would supervise the MACC’s operations, including appointments, promotions, discipline and budgeting, among others, while the MACC functions as its investigative arm.

The IACC’s funding should be secured through a dedicated parliamentary allocation or the Consolidated Fund, and its annual report debated in Parliament.

The appointment of the chief commissioner must also be subject to an open, bipartisan parliamentary select sommittee process, with public scrutiny of shortlisted candidates before confirmation and formal appointment by the Agong.

These reforms are essential to ensure that the MACC is structurally insulated from political influence, accountable to Parliament, and equipped to enforce the law impartially and effectively.

These proposals to reform the MACC have been recommended by civil society groups and governance reform advocates for years. It is high time these long-proposed reforms are finally implemented.

We call on the Madani government to show us that their reform agenda is not merely aspirational, but operational as well. The Madani government is now in the best position to prove it can translate its commitments into concrete action, as we should no longer bear the failure of past slow and incremental adjustments.

These are structural reforms, not abstract institutional proposals, and go directly to the heart of the present controversy and to the credibility of our institutions.

If the MACC is to command public trust, its leadership, oversight and accountability mechanisms must be beyond suspicion. Any delay in undertaking these measures will only deepen public doubt and further fuel suspicion that the allegations of corruption surrounding the MACC are true.

We, the members of G25, reiterate that integrity in public office is not optional; it is foundational. Make no mistake that corruption has become cancerous in this country.

The fight against corruption must begin at the very top, and it must be conducted with transparency, consistency and integrity.

Only through immediate accountability, followed by genuine institutional reform, can Malaysia’s reform agenda restore public confidence and assure both the people of Malaysia and the international community that the rule of law matters in our country. – G25

G25 Malaysia is a Malay-Muslim group of former civil servants and individuals with deep experience across diverse fields, united by a shared vision for a more just, cohesive, and progressive Malaysia.

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