YOURSAY | ‘Everything said at the MACC’s building launch sounded hollow.’

Najib announces RM5m to back MACC's graft-busting efforts

Gerard Lourdesamy: The pious platitudes in the speech being uttered by the very person who is linked to a wide-ranging investigation by several foreign countries for alleged kleptocracy, corruption, abuse of power, cheating and breach of trust, and who is also the subject of an ongoing investigation by the MACC and police, speaks volumes about the impartiality and integrity of the commission.

His Majesty the King should have been invited instead to open the MACC headquarters if the government was sincere in making the fight against corruption a national priority, which is also enjoined in the teachings of Islam.

Abasir: Height-challenged people are forced to wear high heels or platform shoes to compensate for their, shall we say, "shortcomings"?

Likewise, this MACC edifice, perched pretentiously on top of stilts in Putrajaya, appears to be extravagantly compensating for its now diminished stature in the eyes of citizens.

What is worse, it appears to confirm the general belief that its occupants are only genuflecting minions, and not towering men of integrity and moral rectitude.

Having a character so indelibly stained with the red ink of 1MDB officiate its opening says more about its credentials and its credibility than anything that can be said by its detractors.

Negarawan: "Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said, ‘please say that this is the biggest anti-corruption complex in the world; the pride of MACC, the government as well as Malaysians’," PM Najib Razak said.

Why should Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) and Dzulkifli be so proud of having the biggest anti-corruption complex in the world? In fact, a country that is graft-free would not need any anti-corruption body or complex at all.

We should take pride in a smaller MACC, not a larger one. And how can the graft level in Malaysia be reduced when the head of the government (MO1) is internationally acknowledged as a kleptrocrat and labelled a “crook”?

International investigations and prosecutions related to 1MDB are clearly an indication that the MACC has no integrity and is a failure.

CQ Muar: Apparently, the MACC has been "successful" hauling in a handful of those indulging in graft recently. Even a couple of "datuks" and "tan sris", including some prominent businessmen.

Clearly, this is part of the "wayang kulit" to showcase the efficiency of MACC. Obviously, such arrests were not of major interest to the netizens of this country. What is of importance is the main culprit who allegedly robbed the nation of billions. Who is he, and why isn't he caught?

Doesn't this reflect and show how incompetent MACC is? Or is it reluctant to act on the culprit?

Dojusa: Indeed, everything said at the MACC’s building launch sounded so hollow, much like the inside of an empty oil drum.

The speaker actually has no moral authority to talk the way he did – like saying that corruption is a threat to our civilisation.

If he had practised what he is now preaching, we would not be in this mess that we are going through. No 1MDB, no debt burden, no GST, no galloping inflation, etc. What we do not need now is an armchair preacher.

Hot Khong: Is it not obviously bribery (or perceived as bribery) when Najib gives RM5 million of taxpayers’ money to the MACC’s officer welfare association?

PM to attend MACC's 50th anniversary do amid corruption allegations

Kim Quek: Is there a greater hypocrisy than this – the world’s most notorious kleptocrat officiating the opening of the new building of the country’s anti-corruption body and its 50th anniversary celebration?

What would that make Malaysia: the world’s most hypocritical kleptocracy? And MACC: the world’s most famous hypocritical corruption buster?

Mushiro: As long as Najib is PM, the MACC, Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) cannot touch him as all their chiefs are appointed by Najib.

This is a major conflict of interest. Najib is the man who hires and fires these chiefs.

We saw how the AG Abdul Gani Patail was allegedly escorted out by security guards from his legitimate office.

So MACC can do any and everything as far as 'ikan bilis' (small fry) are concerned but they know not to touch Najib and not even his senior Umno men.

Apparently, corruption is a crime only committed by ikan bilis.

Rupert: We all know that the head honcho of MACC will not dare to touch the elephant in the room despite all his bravado about his stance against corruption.

Cry, My Beloved Country!: When Pakatan Harapan takes over Putrajaya, the PM's term must be limited to two five-year terms, and her/his power decentralised.

The attorney-general, the auditor-general, the MACC's chief commissioner, the Election Commission chairperson, the Bank Negara governor, the Judicial Appointments Commission and last, but not least, the inspector-general of police, must be made answerable to the Parliament, and to no one else.

They must report to the members of parliament each time the Parliament sits.

Only with all checks and balance wielded by respective parliamentary select committees, will this blighted nation be a proud democracy.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.