Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Azam Baki has clarified that his reported RM800,000 shareholding in a financial services company was acquired last year and fully disposed of within the same year.
Proper declaration made
Azam confirmed the shares were properly declared, as reported by the New Straits Times.
“I made the declaration on this, including sources of my income, through the Human Resource Management Information System to the public services department,” he was quoted as saying.
“All transparent.”
Reports labelled malicious
He described media reports questioning his shareholding as malicious and misleading.
Azam added that he is considering legal action over what he views as defamatory claims.
Bloomberg had reported that the shareholding appeared in Velocity Capital Bhd’s annual return filed on Feb 3 last year.
Name still on register
However, his name continues to appear on the company’s register of shareholders at the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Based on the share price at Monday’s close, the stake was valued at about RM800,000.
Rules for public officers
A 2024 government circular on the conduct of public officials limits civil servants’ shareholdings in Malaysian companies to no more than 5 percent of paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower.
Public officers must also declare assets periodically.
Calls for action from politicians
The matter has drawn responses from several quarters.
Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi and PKR Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim have either commented on the issue or called for Azam’s contract to be terminated.
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