Govt mulls placing MACC under EAIC's purview

The government’s efforts to improve integrity in enforcement agencies could see the MACC being placed under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission’s (EAIC) purview.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said yesterday announced the matter was among issues discussed at the first meeting of a pro-tem committee formed to review EAIC's functions.

"The unity government under the leadership of the prime minister is committed to creating a truly independent body with effective and efficient disciplinary control powers to instil and improve integrity among enforcement agencies and its officers,” she said.

Azalina said the pro-tem committee would also examine several proposed amendments to the EAIC Act 2009 to strengthen the body.

"Following this, the pro-tem committee will be holding engagement sessions in the near future with stakeholders including government and opposition MPs, as well as the civil society," she said.

Present during the meeting were EAIC chief Mohd Sidek Hassan and solicitor-general Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, as well as representatives from MACC, Public Service Department, and the Prime Minister's Department.

Azalina said the discussion follows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal in Dewan Rakyat for a new body to oversee and investigate all complaints against law enforcement agencies.

There are currently 21 enforcement agencies under the purview of the EAIC – and the MACC was granted an exemption under Subsection 1(5) of the EAIC Act 2009.

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