Azalina: Subject govt agency chief picks to parliamentary oversight
Following the controversy involving MACC chief Azam Baki, backbencher Azalina Othman has proposed that the appointment of government agency chiefs be subject to parliamentary oversight.
This comes after some proposed a new committee to oversee the appointment of the MACC chief commissioner...
Following the controversy involving MACC chief Azam Baki, backbencher Azalina Othman has proposed that the appointment of government agency chiefs be subject to parliamentary oversight.
This comes after some proposed a new committee to oversee the appointment of the MACC chief commissioner.
“MACC has five oversight committees - three established under the MACC Act 2009, two administratively.
“The question here is - should we be establishing another committee?
“Perhaps what is required here is to enhance the role of Parliament to oversee the appointment of (the) head of agencies, especially law enforcement agencies?
“Appointments are at present made by the service commissions,” the Umno lawmaker wrote in a series of tweets today.
Azalina, who serves as Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s special adviser on law and human rights, said she was making the suggestion in her capacity as the Pengerang MP.
Presently, the MACC Act 2009 stipulates that the MACC chief is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister.
The act does not mandate parliamentary oversight into the selection process.
After the recent scandal broke, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin denied responsibility when asked if due diligence and background checks were conducted before Azam was appointed back in March 2020.
Done 'nothing wrong'
Parliament has a special select committee on agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department which can scrutinise bodies like the MACC.
This particular select committee has since summoned Azam to explain his controversial shares ownership matter next Wednesday (Jan 19).
The top public official came under fire recently after it was revealed that he owned millions of shares in two public-listed companies - Excel Force MSC and Gets Global Berhad - back in 2015 and 2016.
He had been the MACC investigation chief at the time.
On Jan 5, MACC’s Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairperson Abu Zahar Ujang held a press conference to defend Azam, explaining that the shares were purchased by Nasir Baki using his elder brother Azam’s trading account.
Azam stressed that he had since transferred the shares to Nasir and had thus done “nothing wrong”.
However, the move backfired and led to more criticism, along with questions about whether Azam had violated share trading rules.
Azam is suing whistleblower Lalitha Kunaratnam for defamation after she wrote about his share ownership scandal.
The lawsuit has attracted yet more criticism against him.
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