GIVEN the latest vitriol by Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin, let’s reform the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

This call is especially valid after the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2022 was released recently.

In its press release on January 31, TI said the CPI 2022 shows that most countries “are failing to stop corruption”.

Across Asia Pacific, TI said that, while governments claimed they would tackle corruption, few had taken concrete action.

Pervasive corruption and crackdowns on civic space have left us in a dire situation.

Of all countries in the region, Malaysia is first cited, with the TI reporting that Malaysia been declining for years “as it struggles with grand corruption in the wake of the monumental 1MDB and other scandals implicating multiple prime ministers and high-level officials.”

The current prime minister has promised to clean up the country but still appointed a deputy prime minister with serious corruption allegations as part of efforts to stabilise his unity government, TI added.

By comparison Australia, after years of decline, showed positive signs in 2022. TI duly noted that the newly elected Australian government had fulfilled its promise to pass legislation for a new national anti-corruption commission (NACC).

The promise was to legislate for “a powerful, transparent and independent NACC by the end of 2022”.

On November 30, 2022, the Australian parliament duly passed the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022.

The NACC is expected to begin operations in mid-2023.

The act provides for the NACC to operate independently of the government. Its commissioner and deputy commissioners will have discretion in how they perform their roles.

This includes whether to commence an investigation, and how they will conduct their investigations.

Similar to an Australian federal judge, the commissioner and deputy commissioners will have security of tenure.

Their appointment will be approved by a parliamentary joint committee (PJC) and the commissioner will be appointed for a single, non-renewable, fixed five-year term.

The NACC will therefore be under parliamentary oversight. The PJC will oversee the commission’s performance, including its budget and finances.

It will also approve the appointment of the commissioner, deputy commissioners and the inspector, to ensure they have the confidence of the parliament.

In addition, the PJC will review the NACC’s budget and finances, and report to parliament on whether its resources are sufficient to effectively perform its functions and whether its budget should be increased.

That’s reform. What say the unity government? – February 3, 2023.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.