Ismail Sabri’s clarification on no imminent Cabinet reshuffle welcome but why he is still shy on commenting on the conflict-of-interest allegation against the MACC Chief Commissioner?

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s clarification yesterday that there is no imminent Cabinet reshuffle is most welcome, but it highlights his failure or inability to comment on the conflict-of-interest allegation of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commissioner Chief Commissioner Azam Baki for more than two months.

The issue of Azam Baki has been swirling in the public limelight for more than a week since the resignation of Edmund Terence Gomes from MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel and many personalities have called on Ismail Sabri to break his silence as the allegation of Azam Baki’s conflict-of-interest which was made more than two months ago.

It is impossible that Ismail Sabri is unaware of these calls.

A Prime Minister who is committed to a government which prioritises accountability, transparency and integrity would not have allowed such an allegation concerning conflict-of interest of the No. 1 officer in anti-corruption commission to go unrebutted for a single day.

Why is Ismail Sabri keeping his silence on the issue for more than two months, when the MACC comes directly under his control?

Is Ismail Sabri giving up on the anti-corruption efforts of his government?

It is reported that the MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairperson, Abu Zahar Ujang, the MACC Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel Borhan Dolah and MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki are to hold a “tell-all” press conference later today.

The first question that the MACC trio must address is why they had not held the “tell all” press conference more than two months ago when the conflict-of-interest allegation against Azam first surfaced on Oct. 26, 2021.

I welcome Ismail Sabri’s clarification yesterday that there will be no imminent Cabinet reshuffle, but the MACC still have to answer a question that I posed yesterday: Would the MACC approve the appointment of a convicted corruption criminal as a Cabinet Minister?

I expect an answer from the MACC at its “tell-all” press conference today.

Malaysians and the world are worried that Malaysia will slide back to become again a kleptocracy.

Let the “tell-all” MACC press conference tell Malaysians what the MACC is doing to prevent Malaysia sliding back as a kleptocracy and what the MACC expect of the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2021 with regard to Malaysia, as the TI CPI 2021 is expected to be released later this month.

Yesterday, a senior MACC enforcement officer was charged in court for the misappropriation of RM25 million of cash evidence linked to a major corruption case.

It is the for the courts to decide whether the senior MACC officer was guilty.

But if the MACC is having problems inculcating the value of integrity among MACC officers, how does the MACC expect to be successful in inculcating the value of Integrity among the Malaysian population?

Shouldn’t the subject of integrity and anti-corruption be taught in schools from the primary level onwards?

Electoral watchdog Bersih has criticised Putrajaya for appointing Alor Gajah MP Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof as the chairperson of Boustead Holdings Bhd, on the ground that the appointment was unethical as it was an attempt to solicit support.

Bersih said the appointment presented the possibility of systemic abuse which will only come at the expense of the country’s development and the economic performance of government agencies, especially large-scale financial abuses like the 1MDB scandal.

The MACC “tell-all” press conference is the proper forum for the MACC to explain these and other developments concerning corruption in Malaysia.