Crowds have started gathering in the city centre for a protest demanding the resignation of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Azam Baki over his latest shareholding controversy.
Heavy turnout despite police presence
More than 150 participants, all dressed in black, assembled in front of the Sogo shopping mall under a strong police presence.
They chanted “Step down, step down, Azam Baki” and “Rise up, youths” while carrying placards that read “We are against double standards” and “Exposed by Bloomberg”.
Among those present were Subang MP Wong Chen, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, acting Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz, controversial businessman Albert Tei, Bersih chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz, and activist Hishamuddin Rais.
Strong calls for resignation and probe
Addressing the crowd, Amira said the nation’s laws are repeatedly being manipulated and toyed with.
“Malaysian youth will not remain silent until Azam Baki is arrested,” she declared.
Nik Nazmi stressed that the MACC chief commissioner must face investigation by an independent body, not just government officials.
“While the investigation is ongoing, Azam should step down or take leave from his position,” he said.
He echoed earlier demands made by the G25 group of prominent retired civil servants and several other MPs.
Rally organisers highlight loss of trust
The organisers, the #TangkapAzamBaki Secretariat, said Azam’s share ownership has seriously damaged public confidence in the anti-graft agency.
Bloomberg News had reported that Azam held 17.7 million shares in Velocity Capital Bhd, representing 1.7 percent, based on the company’s annual return lodged on February 3 last year.
The report also noted that his name remained listed in the company’s shareholder register with the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Azam is accused of breaching a 2024 government circular that caps civil servants’ shareholdings in Malaysian-incorporated companies at no more than 5 percent of paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower.
Azam’s response and ongoing investigations
The MACC chief has said he declared the transaction and that the shares were disposed of last year.
His lawyers have issued a letter of demand to Bloomberg News regarding the report.
Bukit Aman’s classified crime investigation unit has launched a criminal defamation probe into the Bloomberg publication, while a special task force has been formed to examine the shareholding allegations.
