Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth has demanded that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) be put under the purview of Parliament and not the Prime Minister's Department.

"If Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is serious about fighting corruption, he must free a body - which should already be free and credible - to conduct its duties without threat or interference of any party," PKR Youth anti-corruption bureau Fariz Musa said in a statement.

He said that as long as the ACA is under Abdullah's grip, it would not be able to conduct its business freely as the final decision would come from the premier.

"The PM has absolute power in deciding if a corrupt (individual or outfit) is to be investigated, arrested, charged or if the case is to be thrown out. This makes the ACA lose its integrity, dignity and credibility," added Fariz.

A recent request to Parliament for the ACA to be put under the purview of the house was dismissed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz who said the government was satisfied with ACA's work while under the department.

Fariz also alleged that the premier has been using his position to save some 'corrupt parties' given the fact that very few cases of corruption have been prosecuted.

Only 'small fish'

"The issue of the 18 VIPs investigated by the ACA, for example, appears to be just a case-filing exercise without any action taken because the premier has not given the green light to do so," he said.

He submitted that the 'big fish' practising corruption will continue to get away as long as action is only taken against the 'small fish'.

Since Abdullah assumed power in October 2003, only two high-profile cases on corruption were taken to court.

Fariz also reminded the premier that it was high time action - and not mere words - be taken in the fight against graft and told him to take heed of a recent Transparency International Corruption Perception Index which placed Malaysia in a lowly 39th position among 146 nations.