PM: Azam, Idrus' tenures extended for doing a good job

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and Attorney-General Idrus Harun's contracts were extended because they have been carrying out their duties satisfactorily, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He said this is especially after the MACC and attorney-general were given more freedom to operate.

'He (Azam) was appointed by (then) prime minister (from) Pagoh (Muhyiddin Yassin).

"Even though there were issues raised at first, I saw that after I gave the MACC and attorney-general more leeway to carry out their duties, as far as I see, they have been doing so satisfactorily,” Anwar said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

He added that with this leeway, action had been taken without fear or favour, leading to a minister's office being searched and action being taken against officers.

This is believed to be in reference to the MACC probe on the Human Resources Ministry.

"So in that capacity, we extended his service," Anwar said.

He said this when asked why Azam's contract was extended.

Azam reached his mandatory retirement age last Friday. However, his contract has been extended by one year.

Earlier in March, Idrus - who was also appointed by Muhyiddin - also had his contract extended by six months.

Both were appointed to office in 2020 after their predecessors quit following the Sheraton Move change in government.

Among the contentions against Azam was the MACC's probe of SRC International trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali over an alleged conflict of interest and misconduct.

This put the agency at odds with the judiciary, which claimed that the probe on the judge was not done according to the procedure.

The probe also put a target on Idrus' back, with the Malaysian Bar last week passing a resolution of no confidence in the attorney-general for his “abject failure” to defend the judiciary and uphold the rule of law in regard to the Nazlan probe.

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