LETTER | “I did not say he is a witness… I never mentioned he is a witness.”

These were the words MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki uttered at a press briefing on Wednesday, March 4.

We would soon discover, from the MACC’s search notice circulated to the media, that the individual in question was writer and researcher James Chai, who also used to serve in the office of former economy minister Rafizi Ramli.

His photo was plastered on the search notice like a wanted poster, his family’s home address printed alongside it for the world to see.

All this for a man who was reachable the entire time. He is active on social media and in regular contact with friends and family. Even posting frequently on Substack.

Rather than exhausting every reasonable avenue to reach out to Chai, the MACC went to great lengths to paint him as some kind of fugitive, as if he were someone on the run.

Reading Chai’s poetic response to this whole spectacle, I can feel how his words strike a chord with many of my peers - especially those who have poured their heart and soul into the cause of rebuilding Malaysia as a country we can all be proud of.

Those of us who chose the path of activism, politics, and serving the nation, either from the front lines or behind the scenes, do so with a genuine belief that doing so will usher in a better tomorrow.

That is why it’s particularly disheartening to see echoes of past regimes resurface in the actions of the authorities today, as they go after an ordinary Malaysian in what looks like a political witch-hunt.

If someone like Chai can be hunted by the system today simply for who he is affiliated with, then it opens up the floodgates for people like him to be targeted by future administrations.

What makes this all the more striking is that the person who is leading this charge, Azam, is himself mired in his own slate of damning controversies.

It takes a special kind of audacity for a man facing unresolved allegations of impropriety to cast aspersions on the integrity of others.

With everything that is happening, I understand how many of us may be turned off from investing time and effort into Malaysian politics.

But I would argue that it is for this very reason that we must take it upon ourselves to be involved in the process. After all, participation in democracy does not end at the ballot box.

It is time we channel all our energies to push for meaningful changes to the system. We can start with three main demands:

1. The removal of Azam Baki as the MACC chief commissioner to give way for a transparent investigation into the allegations against him.

2. The establishment of an independent royal commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations of a “corporate mafia” abusing enforcement institutions for personal gain.

3. Reform the appointment process for the next MACC chief commissioner, with candidates vetted through a bipartisan parliamentary select committee.

These are only a starting point. But without these changes, the MACC will continue to be seen as a blunt instrument that can be wielded mercilessly by whoever holds power.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.