THE corruption problem in Malaysia is more serious now compared with the last decade because bigwigs are involved, said Azam Baki.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (operations) said the problem was getting worse in some sectors because of the involvement of many powerful officials.

“Based on my 34 years of experience, there has always been corruption. But the problem is more serious now, compared with the last 10 years.

“It is because it involves many officials with power, such as politicians, government and GLC (government-linked company) officials,” he said on the SPRM 360 programme earlier today, which was aired live on the MACC.fm Facebook page.

However, Azam said the problem was still under control, with MACC having to work hard with public support to combat graft.

He said MACC was focusing its investigations on three sectors – procurement, enforcement and grand corruption that involved politicians and VIPs.

“Procurement and grand corruption are related, as they involve decision makers with authority.

“Corruption in these sectors will cause the country to lose revenue, which is either lost or uncollected. These cases are economic crimes that we have to investigate,” he said.

In the radio show, Azam also spoke about the four corruption charges faced by former prime minister Najib Razak under the MACC Act over the RM2.6 billion he allegedly received in his personal bank account in 2013.

Apart from the MACC Act, Najib also faces 21 charges under money laundering laws – nine counts of receiving illegal proceeds, seven counts of transferring the proceeds to other entities, and five counts of using illegal proceeds. He was charged with the 25 offences on Thursday.

“Four charges by MACC and 21 by the police… it was the first time two agencies came together to investigate the same case. 

“The transactions were different, but also related. So, based on the facts presented by the prosecution, the court has decided to hear all the offences together,” Azam said.

A listener from Kota Kinabalu called in and asked Azam to explain why the graft charges against Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was accused of buying his Jalan Pinhorn bungalow in Penang at below the market value, were dropped.

Azam said MACC has the authority only to investigate cases, but has no power to take cases to court or to withdraw prosecutions.

“It was the prosecution that decided not to pursue the case. It was not the first time the Attorney-General’s Chambers withdrew cases after making re-evaluations.

“Lim was taken to court and put on trial. Then the prosecution decided not to pursue the case. The deputy public prosecutor asked the court for a DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal), but the court decided on the full acquittal.

“We have to look at the facts. It was not the prosecution that had asked for 100% acquittal (for Lim),” he said.

When Lim was Penang chief minister, he was accused of using his position to seek gratification by buying the bungalow from his former landlady Phang Li Khoon at RM2.8 million when the property’s market value was said to be RM4.27 million on July 28, 2015.

Phang was also charged with abetting Lim in relation to his house purchase. 

Lim was also accused of using his position to obtain gratification for himself and his wife Betty Chew by approving an application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential use during a state planning committee meeting on July 18, 2014. Phang was reportedly a Magnificent Emblem director.

On September 3, the Penang High Court acquitted Lim of the charges when the prosecution said it would not pursue the prosecution after considering the representations and fresh evidence filed by the defence to have the charges dropped. Phang was also acquitted.

Lim’s acquittal drew criticism from the public, with many questioning if the charges were dropped because he was now a minister.

The high-profile case only went through two days of trial in March with 25 witnesses called before it was postponed for Lim and his lawyers to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting, and then run in the 14th general election. – September 22, 2018.