PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has the power to dismiss Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki or put him on garden leave, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said.  

The PKR Youth chief said Azam is wrong to claim that only the Yang di-Pertuan Agong can terminate his service as the MACC chief.  

“Pursuant to the MACC Act 2009, section 5(3), the chief commissioner shall, during the period of his appointment as specified in his appointment order, hold office for as long as approved by the Agong, subject to the advice of the prime minister,” Akmal said in a statement today.

“This means that any decision to dismiss or put the MACC chief commissioner on leave can be initiated by the prime minister, as guided by the existing law.”  

Earlier today, Azam stressed that he will not resign, saying that only the Yang di-Pertuan Agong can terminate his service.

Since the decision lies with the prime minister, Akmal said the youth wing wants Ismail to be more courageous and act on Azam, as stated during its recent car-convoy protest against the MACC chief over his share ownership controversy.  

“He (the prime minister) should be more proactive in resolving this crisis and subsequently make amendments to the law so that the process of appointing the MACC chief commissioner has to go through Parliament,” he said. 

“The government’s refusal to act will only further weaken the MACC institution and bring the country to a deeper ‘integrity emergency’.”

Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha sent out a notice to members of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department to meet on January 19 to discuss Azam’s controversial shares ownership. – January 12, 2022.