FORMER Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) panel member Edmund Terence Gomez said he had already agreed to meet with the MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman Abu Zahar Ujang yesterday, but it was the latter who did not respond to his request for a meeting on Zoom.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight, the political economist explained that Abu Zahar’s office contacted him for a meeting, to which he immediately agreed.

Gomez said Abu Zahar’s office requested that the meeting take place in Putrajaya, to which he agreed. However, the venue was later changed to a location in Kuala Lumpur.

“I immediately said ‘yes’ when his office called me for a meeting. However, when the location was changed to a spot in KL, I told his officers that it is best for us to meet via Zoom.”

“Unfortunately after my suggestion, his office went quiet,” said Gomez in response to Abu Zahar today.

Earlier, Abu Zahar had told The Malaysian Insight that he was ready to meet with Gomez to discuss allegations that chief commissioner Azam Baki owned a large number of corporate shares in a Gets Global Bhd in 2015 and 2016, and may have not declared these assets.

“Don’t just accuse, provide proof. Come and see me, and I mean business,” said the former Dewan Negara president.

Abu Zahar had also told Utusan Malaysia he had invited Gomez to discuss issues surrounding Azam Baki at an in-person meeting, but Gomez declined, wanting a virtual meeting instead.

He said the advisory board will never compromise if any MACC officer, including those in senior posts, were found to have behaved unprofessionally.

Abu Zahar also denied receiving any emails from Gomez as alleged by the academic. 

“I have checked with another panellist who confirmed he received the email. I do not know why is he saying that he did not get the emails,” said Gomez.

He also urged journalists to check the emails he had sent for confirmation.

“You can check the emails I sent to your editors whether Abu Zahar had received it or not,” he said.

On Monday, Gomez resigned as a member of the one of five MACC oversight panels, the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel.

His resignation was to protest the lack of action taken by Abu Zahar and his panel’s chairman, Borhan Dolah, over allegations that Azam owned a large number of corporate shares in a company in 2015 and 2016, and may not have declared them.

He said the information on Azam, who has served the MACC for more than 30 years, was provided to him by a person who worked with an anti-graft organisation.

Gomez also released to the media correspondence he had had with Borhan and Zahar, which showed he had been sending them emails urging for a meeting to discuss Azam’s case for over a month, since November 10. – December 30, 2021.