Pastikan ketelusan siasatan SPRM terhadap ketua pengarah JAS/ Ensure transparency in MACC probe into environment director general

[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Pada 29 Januari, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) telah menahan ketua pengarah dan timbalan ketua pengarah Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) untuk membantu dalam siasatan berhubung dakwaan rasuah dan salah guna kuasa yang dikaitkan dengan pengurusan sisa elektronik (e-sisa).

Menurut Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki, penahanan tersebut dilaksanakan selepas pegawai-pegawai berkenaan menghadirkan diri di ibu pejabat SPRM di Putrajaya.

Dakwaan tersebut melibatkan ketidakaturan sistemik dalam pengurusan e-sisa, suatu sektor kritikal untuk integriti alam sekitar dan kesihatan rakyat Malaysia.

Salah urus atau rasuah dalam bidang ini mempunyai risiko untuk mendedahkan komuniti kepada sisa berbahaya, serta menjejaskan komitmen Malaysia kepada pembangunan mampan, dan menghakis kepercayaan dalam tadbir urus alam sekeliling.

Menurut laporan-laporan media, seawal Februari 2026, SPRM telah membekukan 16 akaun bank yang mengandungi RM10.2 juta, bersama dengan RM1 juta lagi dalam akaun-akaun korporat dan individu berkaitan. Wang tunai berjumlah lebih daripada RM170,000 dan barangan bernilai RM220,000 juga turut dirampas.

Kami juga dimaklumkan bahawa pada awal Mac 2026, SPRM telah mengumumkan bahawa mereka telah menyerahkan kertas siasatan kepada timbalan pendakwa raya dengan cadangan agar pegawai-pegawai tertinggi JAS tersebut dituduh dengan rasmi.

Walau bagaimanapun, susulan itu, tiada maklumat lanjut yang dikemukakan secara telus dan ianya tidak jelas sama ada pegawai-pegawai tertinggi JAS tersebut telah digantung tugas sementara menunggu pertuduhan rasmi terhadap mereka.

Dengan membenarkan mereka untuk meneruskan dengan tugas mereka, membangkitkan isu-isu serius berhubung dengan pengacauan bukti dan menjejaskan usaha pendakwaan.

Memandangkan perkara di atas, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) dan Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) dengan ini menuntut:

• Pengemaskinian status secara segera: SPRM dan Jabatan Peguam Negara mesti mendedahkan status semasa perkara ini, termasuk garis masa bila pegawai-pegawai tersebut akan didakwa.
• Langkah perlindungan interim: Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar mesti menjelaskan apakah-langkah langkah pentadbiran yang telah diambil untuk mengelakkan percanggahan kepentingan atau salah guna kuasa diteruskan sementara siasatan sedang dijalankan.
• Kebertanggungjawaban awam: Maklumat yang dikemaskini mesti diberikan kepada orang awam untuk memastikan ketelusan dan mengukuhkan keyakinan terhadap institusi anti-rasuah dan institusi perlindungan alam sekitar Malaysia.

Kepimpinan alam sekitar Malaysia tidak boleh dijejaskan dengan ketidaktelusan atau kelewatan. Rakyat berhak untuk mendapatkan penjelasan bagaimana dakwaan rasuah di peringkat tertinggi JAS sedang ditangani.

Kami menyeru SPRM, Jabatan Peguam Negara dan kementerian untuk bertindak dengan tegas, telus, dan selari sepenuhnya dengan prinsip-prinsip tadbir urus yang baik serta keadilan alam sekitar. – SAM/C4 Center

English version

Ensure transparency on MACC probe into environment director general

On 29 January, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) detained the director general and deputy director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) to assist with investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power linked to electronic waste (e-waste) management.

According to the MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki, the arrests were made after the officials presented themselves at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

The allegations concern systemic irregularities in e-waste management, a sector critical to Malaysia’s environmental integrity and public health.

Mismanagement or corruption in this area risks exposing communities to hazardous waste, undermining Malaysia’s commitments to sustainable development, and eroding trust in environmental governance.

According to media reports, as of early February 2026, the MACC had frozen 16 bank accounts containing RM10.2m, along with another RM1m in related corporate and individual accounts. Cash totalling over RM170,000 and valuables worth RM220,000 were also seized.

We were also informed that in early March 2026, the MACC announced it had submitted investigation papers to the deputy public prosecutor with a recommendation to formally charge the top DOE officials.

However, since then, no further details have been made transparent, and it is not clear whether the DoE’s top officials have been suspended, pending the formal charging of the officials concerned. Allowing them to remain in office raises serious issues over evidence tampering and compromises prosecution efforts.

Given the above, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) demand:

• An immediate status update: The MACC and the Attorney General’s Chambers must disclose the current status of matters, including when the officials will be charged.
• Interim safeguards: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment must clarify what administrative measures have been taken to prevent a conflict of interest or further abuse of power while investigations are ongoing.
• Public accountability: Regular updates must be provided to the public, ensuring transparency and reinforcing confidence in Malaysia’s anti-corruption and environmental protection institutions.

Malaysia’s environmental leadership cannot be compromised by opacity or delay. The public deserves clarity on how corruption allegations at the highest levels of the DOE are being addressed.

We call upon MACC, the Attorney General’s Chambers and the ministry to act decisively, transparently, and in full alignment with the principles of good governance and environmental justice.

Meenakshi Raman is the president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM).

Pushpan Murugiah is the CEO of the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center)

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