KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed today gave a firm assurance that he will not bow down from taking action against anybody, including members of the cabinet. Abu Kassim, speaking at the 15th Malaysian Law Conference on the challenges faced by the MACC, said he was fully committed to fight corruption, even if it costs his career.
Taking a question from former Bar Council chairperson S Ambiga, Abu Kassim said he was prepared to take action against any members of the cabinet for corruption.
“100 percent, yes,” he said.
“You know that I am (prepared). I can make sure that if there is a case and report against any cabinet minister (and subsequently no action is taken), I am willing to go down,” he said to a thunderous applause from about 200 people attending the event.
He however took a beating from Ambiga who labeled the commission as the “hatchet boy of the government” and for still not being up to the standards imposed by the highly respected and independent Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong.
According to her, MACC was “not entirely independent” as it was not made accountable to the Parliament.
“The commission’s image and credibility were knocked especially during the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Perak constitutional quagmire and the recent cases of three high-profile leaders being cleared of corruption allegations,” she said.
“I would like to say that the perception is there and it is still the hatchet boy of the government. I think you have to work on that perception and not to compare it with ICIC,” she told Abu Kassim.
'MACC is independent'
Ambiga also pointed out that MACC was not independent as it did not report directly to the Parliament. It also need not comply with the recommendations made by five committees overseeing the commission, she added.
But Abu Kassim disagreed, saying that MACC was required to appear in Parliament and take questions from the parliamentarians on various MACC affairs.
“But ICIC does not have this because they modified (the law). But I agree that there is always room for improvement for us,” he said.
Earlier, Abu Kassim lamented on the negative publicity thrown at the commission. He also revealed that 119 public complaints were lodged against the commission last year.
“If you say we are wrong, we accept that. In the means of doing our work, we may make a mistake. But we want to change and we are changing,” he said.
“There is no way we would sweep all the allegations under the carpet. You can try us now. No way we are leaving this job (unfinished), though my God, although we are being ‘boiled’ by the people,” he said.
