Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed calls for the removal of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki amid controversy over his past shareholdings.
Anwar defends MACC chief’s performance
Anwar credited Azam with carrying out his duties effectively as MACC chief commissioner. He questioned the rationale for dismissing someone performing their role well.
“If someone is doing their job, why sack them? Read his explanation,” Anwar told reporters on the sidelines of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia’s Chinese New Year celebration in Petaling Jaya.
Anwar described the criticism directed at Azam as unhealthy. He urged all parties to review Azam’s explanation before reaching conclusions.
Emphasis on due process and facts
The prime minister stressed that decisions should not be made without hearing from those involved and examining the facts. He advocated for fairness and proper procedure in addressing such matters.
Calls for Azam’s resignation, suspension, or removal have come from several PKR MPs, including Rafizi Ramli and Hassan Karim. These followed a Bloomberg report highlighting Azam’s name appearing on the shareholder register of Velocity Capital Bhd.
The report, based on the company’s annual return lodged with the Companies Commission of Malaysia on February 3 last year, stated that Azam held 17.7 million shares, equivalent to about 1.7 per cent of the company.
This raised questions over compliance with a 2024 government circular. The circular limits civil servants’ shareholdings in Malaysian-incorporated companies to no more than 5 per cent of paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower.
Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran noted that civil servants may apply to the chief secretary to the government for exemption from the circular’s restrictions.
Azam’s response to the allegations
Earlier today, Azam announced plans to send a letter of demand to Bloomberg. He claimed the report was malicious and had damaged his reputation as well as that of the MACC.
Azam stated that he had proactively declared the shareholdings to the public services department in July 2025. He added that the shares were disposed of within the same year.
