Press Statement
28th March 2021

MACC Chief Dato’ Seri Azam Baki says that the MACC does not intend to interfere in the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) ‘cartel’ issue because it is the department’s internal problem.

He also says that MACC is confident with the ability and credibility of PDRM to address the issue, and that Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador had also stated that the problem could be resolved.

The IGP did not speak of a cartel alone but also about corruption. Is that an internal matter too that the MACC thinks can be solved internally?

If that were the case, should all departments be they public or private where such cases occur just conduct internal probes to deal with them? If so, why have others been dealt with differently, probed by the MACC and then charged in court? Shouldn’t they too just be dealt with internally?

We have laws in this country and a complaint of taking or receiving gratification in the public or private sector comes within the purview of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009. The MACC was primarily set up for the purpose of dealing with this problem and has been given broad powers to do so.

Dato’ Seri Azam Baki says he is confident that the issue can be addressed by the police but that isn’t the point.

It is a question of law.

A crucial aspect of any investigation is to make sure that there is impartiality on the part of those who conduct it. This is to ensure fairness to all parties in the investigation. Those investigating should have no interest in the matter or be connected in any way to those who will be probed in the investigation. So how can an internal probe be sufficient in this case when the case involves the police themselves? This is where the MACC comes in.

Perhaps Dato’ Seri Azam should take legal advice from the Attorney General. This is a matter of great public importance. If we really want to clean up the police force and strengthen it by dealing with problems like these, then let us start on the right footing in the right direction.

Gobind Singh Deo
MP for Puchong