Our Yang di Pertuan Agong, in his recent birthday speech to the nation, highlighted the war against corruption among public officials.

He made the point that no one, whatever their rank or position, would be immune from prosecution if he/she commits an offence under the anti-corruption laws .

We know that the Anti-Corruption Agency was previously answerable only to His Majesty until former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad defanged the agency by bringing it under his own control.

In a hypothetical case where the prime minister himself is accused of a corrupt practice, who will be authorised to investigate and bring charges against him?

This shows the need for the ACA to be answerable only to Parliament or to His Majesty. Only then can it be effective.