WHISTLEBLOWER Dr Edmund Terence Gomez today called the Securities Commission’s (SC) “inconclusive” findings on top graft-buster Azam Baki’s conduct “unacceptable, saying the report should be reviewed by an independent body.

Gomez, who was a member of a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) oversight panel, said the government had also failed to act decisively on the controversy over Azam’s ownership of shares in allowing him to remain on duty as the MACC chief commissioner while under investigattion.

Gomez said it is “disturbing” that no independent investigation has been undertaken into the matter which has received wide media coverage.

“Now…we are told by the SC that it is unable to determine if Azam breached the law.

“This disturbing series of events, where investigations have been hampered or have not reached a satisfactory conclusion, indicates why is was imperative that Azam should have been instructed to go on garden leave when the allegations first emerged,” Gomez said in a statement today.

“The government has not acted decisively on the issue.

“What is now required, given the SC’s inability to provide an informed view of the allegations against Azam, is that the government should immediately establish an independent committee to review this matter.”

Gomez, who recently resigned his seat on the internal MACC panel on consultation and corruption prevention, in protest of the inaction by his superiors after he had raised concerns about Azam’s 2015-16 shareholdings and possible conflict of interest.

The allegations were reported in October on the Independent News Service website and raised in parliament by Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa.

Azam was subsequently cleared of wrongdoing by MACC anti-corruption advisory board chairman Abu Zahar Ujang, who told the media on January 5 that the chief commissioner had done no wrong.

In response to the allegations, Azam said he had lent his trading account to his brother to purchase those shares.

Under section 25(4) of the Security Industry (Central Depositories) Act 1991, every securities account opened with a central depository must be in the name of the beneficiary owner of the deposited securities or an authorised nominee.

Yesterday, the SC said it was unable to conclude if Azam had breached the law in allowing his brother to use his trading account.

Critics have slammed the decision and the regulatory body has for its lack of independence and urged for the details of the findings to be made public. – January 19, 2022.