PAS’s Kota Baru MP Takiyuddin Hassan has defended Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) adviser Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim for supposedly not asking the graft-buster to take action against high-profile cases.

This is after former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had criticised Tunku Abdul Aziz for not asking MACC to probe 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) which has accumulated a whopping RM42 billion debt.

Mahathir had also challenged Tunku Abdul Aziz to get MACC to probe him after the latter accused the former prime minister of not allowing criminal action against Bumiputera Malaysia Finance Limited (BMF) in the 1980s, which like 1MDB today, was embroiled in a financial scandal.

Takiyuddin ( photo ) said Tunku Abdul Aziz as a member of MACC’s anti-corruption advisory board (LPPR) can only advise and has no power to instruct the graft-buster around.

“In my view, LPPR functions as an adviser to MACC. The same applies to four other independent bodies that oversee the workings of the MACC,” he said in a statement today.

The other four oversight committees of the MACC are the special committee on corruption; the complaints committee; the operations review panel; and the consultation and corruption prevention panel.

“LPPR and the four other independent bodies... represent the people and do not have powers to investigate or instruct MACC to conduct investigations.

“This is because MACC is an independent body,” he said.

Takiyuddin, who is a member of the parliamentary special committee on corruption, said LPPR merely acts as a check and balance against the MACC.

Among LPPR’s functions, he said, is to advise the MACC on matters of corruption in Malaysia as well as to provide feedback on the commission’s policies and strategies in combating corruption.

As such, he urged the public to trust the MACC conducting its responsibilities.

Yesterday, Mahathir told Tunku Abdul Aziz he should “keep quiet” if the latter could not do anything about the high-profile cases in the country.