Ex-TI chief savages MACC as a political tool

Former Transparency International (TI) Malaysia president Tunku Abdul Aziz joined in the growing chorus of voices questioning the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency's conduct in the wake of a secret e-mail poll of its own advisors.

"The secret e-mail poll of MACC advisory panel members Robert Phang and Ramon Navaratnam by the secretariat to the advisory panel members itself, is the pits," said Tunku Aziz ( below ).

"It underlines the fact that the MACC is a political tool of the prime minister. The directive for the poll must have come from the very top of the MACC or at least at the number two level.

"This much I'm very sure. Why is the secretariat which is supposed to serve the advisory panel taking orders from the MACC?" asked Tunku Aziz

"I would not just describe the secretariat as kurang ajar (ill-mannered), as Robert has done, but say that they are biadap (disrespectful) as well.

It's a breach of basic courtesy and good faith. It's unpardonable to behave in such a manner towards men of the utmost integrity, and who contribute so much in the war against corruption in Malaysia."

Injudicious use of power

The action of the secretariat in conducting the secret e-mail poll, added Tunku, gives credence to the perception that MACC is using its powers unwisely and with impunity.

He said he was not surprised that the media statements by Phang and Navaratnam rang alarm bells at the MACC, and with good reasons too.

Philanthropist and Social Care Foundation founder Phang ( left ) said 20 members of the advisory panel had urged the MACC to look into negative perceptions of the body, and improve its public relations skills by holding weekly media briefings.

Phang also said that advisory panel members were in favour of the proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry to probe MACC's internal mechanisms interrogation procedures.

Navaratnam urged members of the public to write letters of complaints to the MACC over its performance, and his statements casting doubts on the competence of the anti-corruption body has not gone down well.

Navaratnam also admitted in an interview with national news agency, Bernama , that it was becoming increasingly difficult to remain a member of the MACC advisory panel.

As a consequence of their views to the media, the secretariat to the MACC advisory panel took it upon itself to conduct the secret poll by e-mail on the duo.

MACC must fulfill two criteria

"We can see from the action of the secretariat that the public perception of the MACC as carried by numerous blogs and the alternative media is totally justified," said the Tunku Aziz.

"Here, we have a picture of the MACC continuously shooting itself in the foot when not adding fuel to the fire."

"Corruption should not be politicised but this is the sad fact in the war against graft in Malaysia."

Tunku Aziz hopes to see heads roll at the secretariat as well as at the MACC over the e-mail poll but would not be surprised if nothing is done to discipline the errant parties.

"The issue of where the MACC and the secretariat stands vis-à-vis the various committees of the advisory panel needs to be resolved," he said.

MACC's problems stem from the fact that it's neither independent nor credible as an institution, although it claims to have patterned itself after its famous counterpart in Hong Kong.

Tunku Aziz stressed that the MACC must fulfill two criteria if it is to be accepted by Malaysians i.e. it must report to a select all-party parliamentary committee and not to the prime minister as at present.

"Unless the two criteria are met, the members of the advisory panel are simply wasting their time at the MACC," he said.

"These are all men of integrity serving the country but what can you do when the MACC is beholden to the prime minister and takes orders from him?