A SABAH-BASED NGO, Sabah Entitlement and Equity Now, has fiercely opposed any extension of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Azam Baki’s tenure beyond its May end date, citing his handling of a major corruption scandal.
Amid uncertainty regarding the future of Azam Baki at the MACC, Duncan Cheng, the group’s leader, criticised Azam’s “weak and slow” response to allegations involving mineral exploration licenses implicating nine Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblypersons, including the state assembly speaker.
“These nine ‘Yang Berhormat’ have set a record for the largest involvement in corruption in the history of Sabah,” Cheng said, pointing to video evidence of bribe discussions.
Despite the evidence, including WhatsApp records and money trails, Cheng noted MACC’s failure to arrest or charge anyone, with Azam claiming the case remains under investigation.
“People in Sabah are wondering what makes it so difficult that the MACC needs six months just to carry out an investigation?” Cheng added.
He held Azam fully responsible and challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has twice extended Azam’s term since 2022, on the decision.
Anwar, responding to a Bloomberg report suggesting a six-month extension, said yesterday, “If a decision has been made, I will announce it. Anyway, his contract is not over yet.”
The NGO demands transparency on Azam’s record and Anwar’s governance principles. —Apr 5, 2025
Main image: Malay Mail
