INVESTIGATIONS into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki are in accordance with the law, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said a decision can only be made once the probe concludes.

Wan Junaidi added that both the Securities Commission (SC) and police are looking into the case, and the views of the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board will be taken into consideration. 

“I am aware many are demanding for action to be taken against Azam. However, I would like to remind everyone that this matter is still under investigation and we are only able to make a decision on the matter upon completion of investigations by the SC and the police,” he said in a statement today. 

“Pending the completion of these investigations, I hope everyone will stay calm as we are trying our best to resolve it in the best manner possible,” he added.

The statement comes as six board members disassociated themselves from their chairman’s move to clear Azam of any wrongdoing in the issue of corporate shares ownership. 

The members, in a statement, said they did not share the views of chairman Abu Zahar Ujang on the matter.  

“We categorically wish to state that the board members at that meeting or at any time thereafter did not express such opinion as Abu Zahar attributed to,” they said earlier today.

The members were referring to Abu Zahar’s recent remarks, that the board found Azam had done no wrong after hearing his explanation that the shares belonged to his brother who had used his trading account.

The shares were later transferred to the brother, and, as such, there was no conflict of interest, he added.

The members said the comments made at a press conference on Wednesday were entirely Abu Zahar’s personal view.

This issue was raised in Parliament on December 14 by Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa, who questioned whether Azam had declared the alleged 2.15 million shares owned in Excel Force MSC Bhd in 2015, as well as 1.93 million shares in Gets Global Bhd the same year and 1.02 million shares the following year.

Azam had also said he had informed his superiors in 2015 about the purchase of the shares by his brother and there were no concerns raised.

Wan Junaidi said that Azam had first purchased a million shares in a publicly listed company in 2016 for RM330,000 or between 30 sen and 33 sen per share. The current size of his shareholding was accumulated over the years.   

“Based on the initial price, it is not an expensive share to acquire. I believe it is affordable to many of us. And for those who are active stock market traders, it is also normal to gradually increase your shareholding over time, especially when you see the potential,” he said. 

He added that there is no law or regulations that prohibit government servants from acquiring shares in public listed companies. 

Under Public Officers Regulations Act (Conduct and Discipline) 1993, government servants are only prohibited from trading in futures markets, locally and abroad while those who own shares in public listed companies are required to declare them as assets. 

As for demands to place MACC under Parliament, Wan Junaidi said the matter has to be looked into carefully as it is not simple.

He added that for MACC to be effective, it needs to operate independently and the commission’s independence is ensured under the MACC Act 2009 (Act 694), which should not be compromised in any way. – January 8, 2022.