A MEMBER of the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has quit in protest over its failure to act on chief commissioner Azam Baki’s alleged ownership of shares in a public listed company.

Prominent economist Edmund Terence Gomez said he had raised the matter with panel’s chairman Borhan Dolah on November 12 and asked for a meeting to be convened.

He said Borhan had been positive to his call but did not call for the meeting.

Although Borhan had initially responded immediately and agreed to convene the panel, the meeting never materialised.

In his resignation letter sighted by The Malaysian Insight, Gomez said disturbing questions had been raised about the “nexus between business and law enforcement” and a “conflict of interest” situation involving Azam.

He said a former MACC chief commissioner was allegedly involved in a conflict-of-interest situation, “suggesting a trend in this institution that must be investigated promptly”.

Gomez said he had come to know of the allegations against Azam in articles published at a website and wrote to Borhan about it.

“I stressed that the information I had received was deeply troubling as it was based on extensive research. The author of these news reports had also listed her name, indicating she was available to discuss this matter.”

Gomez said in his last letter to Borhan on December 14 he had told the panel head he will quit it if it did not respond.

“It is now two weeks since I sent you this letter.

“I have no choice but to submit my resignation, which should be seen as my protest at the delay on your part, as chairman of the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel, to convene a meeting to discuss an issue this panel is duty-bound to review.

“Moreover, by not acting on these reports involving the sitting chief commissioner of the MACC, this inaction by us, advisers to this anti-corruption institution, constitutes a serious dereliction of duty to the nation,” Gomez said in his resignation letter dated yesterday.

Gomez began his two-year term on the panel on June 1 last year and it was to end on May 31 next year.

On December 14 Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa had, in Parliament, raised allegations about a top MACC official.

He wanted the authorities to carry out an independent investigation. – December 28, 2021.