Warisan leader moots strengthening MACC Act with caning

A Warisan leader has suggested that the MACC Act be strengthened by adding caning as an additional form of punishment.

The party's legal adviser, Chin Tek Ming, said this will align the MACC Act with the Penal Code and Dangerous Drugs Act, where caning is a punishment for some crimes.

"Corruption is no less destructive. It erodes public trust, undermines governance, and causes irreparable harm to our nation’s economy, institutions, and future.

"Despite the existing punishments under the MACC Act, corruption remains pervasive and persistent. Clearly, the current punitive framework is insufficient to deter would-be offenders," he said in a statement today.

The MACC Act prescribes fines and jail sentences up to 20 years as punishments.

Chin said the call to cane the corrupt is not about cruelty, but rather proportional justice, compared with China, which punishes the corrupt through execution.

His call comes amid an ongoing corruption scandal in Sabah, in which multiple assemblypersons have been caught on video allegedly discussing bribes they took.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said that at least two people will be charged soon, and there is a possibility of more prosecutions in the future.

Mandatory caning can be a deterrent to corruption - NGO

Why cherry-pick whom to prosecute, whistleblower's lawyer asks Azam

Charge all implicated, not just 2, student group tells MACC

Two in Sabah graft scandal to be charged soon - Azam