THE CSO Platform for Reform has expressed its opposition to Putrajaya’s proposal to place the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC)’s purview.

Referring to the announcement made by Law and Institutional Minister Azalina Othman Said, the coalition said the move contradicts the spirit of institutional reforms and that there will be no point in placing the MACC under the EAIC.

“Such a move will be contradictory to the independence and transparency of MACC, which is required for the body to properly carry out its duties.

“It is especially a cause of deep concern for us, as the scope of the EAIC’s authority has been vague and ambiguous since its inception,” the steering committee of the coalition said in a statement today.

It said the independence of the EAIC has also been a subject of debate as the prime minister appoints its chief commissioner.

“This has raised questions about whether the EAIC is truly free from political influence,” it said.

Earlier this month, Azalina said a proposal to place the MACC under the EAIC’s purview was made during the first meeting of the pro-tem committee.

The committee met to discuss Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal for a new body to oversee and investigate all complaints against law enforcement bodies. 

The coalition said since the MACC is the supreme body overseeing graft activities in the country, it is necessary to ensure it is able to discharge its duty without political interference.

“This is particularly important when we consider the powers held by the MACC.

“The MACC is an agency with prosecutorial powers, which is not possessed by any other agency under the purview of the EAIC.

“We do not believe placing the MACC under the purview of the EAIC will enhance its independence or authority,” the coalition said. 

It said Azalina should instead consider parking MACC under parliament to improve accountability and transparency, claiming this would be in line with Anwar’s stance of ensuring the transparency and independence of the anti-graft agency.

It called on the unity government to uphold its reform principles by abandoning this proposal of putting the MACC under the EAIC.

The CSO Platform for Reform is a coalition of 60 Malaysia-based civil society organisations that focus on institutional reform. – May 9, 2023.