What if MACC had followed its own advice?
Following a second death at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission premises, Malaysiakini today brings some recommendations which were proposed by its five-member complaints committee to beef-up its security and prevent such untoward incidences from occurring again.
Following a second death at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission premises, Malaysiakini today brings some recommendations which were proposed by its five-member complaints committee to beef-up its security and prevent such untoward incidences from occurring again.
These proposals were listed just last week during a press conference organised by the MACC’s complaints committee. Could the sudden death of Royal Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed have been prevented? Could this be a case of such reforms being too little, too late?
On July 16, 2009, Teoh Beng Hock had died under mysterious circumstances at the MACC’s temporary office in Plaza Massalam, Shah Alam.
An inquest had been held and at present a five-member royal commission of inquiry, formed to look into the cause of death and re-look at MACC’s procedures, is on-going.
The MACC complaints committee chaired by former Court of Appeal judge Mohd Noor Abdullah in its recommendations dated March 31, 2011, suggested, among others, having interrogation rooms placed at the lobby or basement area to prevent untoward incidents; and closed circuit television cameras at the interrogation rooms. This is to prevent allegations of rough tactics used in interrogation and also help prove MACC’s case.
Right way to interview witnesses
Other recommendation include MACC having its own premises to further control the movement of complainants and witnesses; installing grills at windows; and conducting various courses for its officers to interview and handle witnesses.
The other members in the committee are former deputy secretary-general in the Prime Minister's Department Muhammad Mohd Noor, the director-general of the Public Complaints Bureau Wan Abdul Wahab Abdullah, and lawyers Chooi Mun Sau and M Ravindran.
Among the procedures being reviewed are the recording of witness statements, handling witnesses from investigations until trial, coming up with a 42-point manual of working procedure from investigations, examination of witnesses which include normal witnesses, suspects and mass witnesses.
Other recommendation included having a scanning machine to monitor those coming into and leaving the office. At present the CCTV at most MACC offices are placed within the office compound and also at the entrances and exits.
All 16 MACC offices now have CCTVs with the exception of MACC Johor.
The committee also found that at present a CCTV at the interrogation room is only found at its Putrajaya headquarters and also the Perak MACC office.
It also listed down the list of buildings which have grills. Noticeably, the Kuala Lumpur MACC office which was only occupied in December 2010, does not have a grill.
The MACC is working out a budget to fulfil such recommendations. Yesterday, at the RCI, MACC deputy chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull admitted that the graft-buster has weaknesses but it is seeking to improve itself.
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