PKR has pledged support to the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in amending Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2006 that the MACC says is a loophole for those in power to commit graft.

NONE However, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar ( right ) said that the party’s lawmakers will only support the amendment if another is also made to give the MACC prosecutorial powers.

“These two must go in tandem,” she said after a meeting between PKR and MACC officials in Kuala Lumpur today.

MACC has previously lamented that Section 23 of the Act allows civil servants or politicians to escape graft charges simply by declaring his/her interests and excusing his/herself from a meeting where a decision is made to benefit themselves or a crony.

These may include meetings to award government projects.

According to Nurul Izzah, PKR was informed the government is also in favour of an amendment to Section 23.

“Some may say that even the Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption does not have this power, and they rely on the attorney-general, but our attorney-general has lost credibility in the eyes of Malaysians.

“We want to know how many cases have not been prosecuted,”she said.

Meanwhile, PKR's Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said that PKR is now under the impression that the MACC is trying to do its best but does not have enough power.

“MACC wants to do things based on best practice, but the law does not allow it. They have no fangs,” she said.

The PKR MPs also express appreciation to the MACC for their willingness to entertain their request for a meeting today.