COMMENT | Who is arguably the most powerful man in Malaysia today? Certainly not the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and not even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Observers argue it is Azam Baki, the MACC chief commissioner, whose position gives him enormous influence over enforcement, allowing rules to be applied selectively.

While the bogeyman of the so-called “corporate mafia” - the network of business actors and officials whose actions are widely feared but largely invisible - keeps politicians, bureaucrats, and companies cautious, ensuring compliance without full exposure.

The anti-corruption agency is now helping the powerful instead of holding them accountable.

The MACC is the country’s principal anti-corruption body, responsible for investigating everyone else. When its chief comes under scrutiny, a contradiction arises: who investigates the investigator?

Possible mechanisms include...