The government is going through the names of people who can be appointed to the proposed royal commission to probe the investigative procedures of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Prime Minister Najib Razak said today.

NONE "It is in the process. We are going through some names. I cannot seek an audience yet with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin as His Majesty is abroad," he said.

The names of the members of the royal commission of inquiry would be announced after they had been presented to Tuanku Mizan, he told reporters after a reception at Seri Perdana today to celebrate the victory of the national football squad in the AFF Suzuki Cup tournament last month.

The prime minister had announced last week that a royal commission of inquiry would be set up to look into MACC’s investigative procedures and probe if the rights of the late political aide Teoh Beng Hock had been violated during his interrogation by the MACC.  

No decision yet on ‘Interlok’

Asked about the ‘Interlok’ novel, to be used as a literature book for the Form Five Bahasa Malaysia subject, said to have contents offensive to the Indian community, Najib said the matter was discussed at today's cabinet meeting but no decision was taken.

He said prior discussions should be held to calm the situation.

"We ask the Indian community to appoint several people to have a dialogue with the Education Ministry so that we can determine how to calm the situation," he said.

Last Saturday, a group of Indians set fire to copies of the novel and there has been pressure from some quarters to withdraw the novel from being used as a literature book.

- Bernama