FORMER chief justice of Malaysia Mohamed Raus Sharif’s assessment that the image of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was damaged after a politician was appointed chief commissioner showed he was a man detached from reality, said DAP national legal bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh.

According to Ramkarpal, Raus’s assertion that the MACC’s image was intact before the appointment was incorrect.

“Raus’s assessment of the rot in the MACC is disappointing to say the least, and does not reflect the reality of public perception of the said institution.

“Raus seems to suggest that the MACC enjoyed public confidence before the appointment, which cannot be further from the truth,” Ramkarpal said in a statement today.

Speaking at the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Forum 2022 yesterday, Raus said certain events have brought the agency’s impartiality and independence into question over the past four years, including the appointment of a politician as head of the agency.

Though Raus made no mention of a name, he was believed to be referring to Latheefa Koya, who was made MACC chief commissioner by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2019.

Latheefa had quit PKR’s central executive committee, but her appointment still drew claims that she would lead selective investigations and prosecutions from the then Barisan Nasional opposition.

Her tenure lasted nine months until Pakatan Harapan fell from federal power following the Sheraton Move.

Raus said it is not surprising that the MACC took a beating after the appointment.

Ramkarpal also called the ex-chief justice out for neglecting to mention the controversy surrounding current MACC chief Azam Baki.

“The biggest disappointment from Raus’s speech was his failure to address the elephant in the room – the recent share controversy surrounding Azam, which has attracted considerable criticism from the public, leading to a serious confidence deficit in the MACC.

“One would have thought such incidents would have been addressed or at least commented on by a former chief justice at such an esteemed event.

“Raus’s failure to do so and instead, pin the blame of the rot in the image of the MACC on a political appointee four years ago – who I assume to be Latheefa – during the PH administration, suggests his utter ignorance of public perception of the MACC today, a clear sign of a man detached from reality.”

Azam’s share dealings became public knowledge last year when researcher Lalitha Kunaratnam wrote about his business links and equities held in a two-part article on a website.

The allegations were brought to prominent economist Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, who was a member of MACC’s Corruption Prevention Panel.

Gomez resigned last December to protest the panel’s lack of action.

The advisory board in early January said Azam had done nothing wrong. Azam also said then that the shares were bought by his brother and transferred to him, leaving him (Azam) with no pecuniary interest.

The Securities Commission’s statement later the same month said Azam was cleared of any wrongdoing and had not violated any laws on trading accounts by allowing another person to use it.

In March, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said there will be no further investigation. – May 25, 2022.