Azam: Root out cancer of graft

THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) aims to eradicate graft before it becomes an “incurable cancer” within society.

MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, speaking in conjunction with the commission’s 57th anniversary, said it will also enhance its departments’ functions and roles for greater efficiency in combating corruption.

“The culture of corruption is like a cancer within the community. If we do not act, it will spread rapidly,” he said.

Malaysia’s anti-graft efforts took root on Oct 1, 1967, when the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) was established.

In 2009, it was replaced with the MACC to empower it with more freedom and enable greater transparency.

Azam said MACC had since made great strides in developing and improving investigation strategies and methodologies, increasing prosecution rates, strengthening integrity and governance policies, and increasing public awareness of corruption.

He said the commission, from 2019 to 2023, saw 1,082 cases which led to convictions.

MACC, he said, has evolved even further in the last five years in terms of graft investigation.

“Post-Covid-19 pandemic, we began delving deeper into cases involving enforcement and revenue loss. This was to stem leakages and corruption which would further impact the already struggling economy,” he said.

He said Malaysia had, since 2020, lost more than RM277 billion to leakages and corruption.

In the same period, MACC recorded 1,124 cases covering bribery, false claims, abuse of power, money laundering, and others.

Azam said since 2020, MACC had received 30,483 reports of information on wrongdoing, with 58 per cent related to civil servants.

“Based on this, we opened 2,123 investigation papers. In total, 2,046 people were arrested, 1,036 were charged and 464 civil servants were convicted.”

He said MACC, with cooperation from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), recovered RM500 million this year which would be returned to the government.

“We are confident that with greater cooperation, even more money lost through criminal activities can be returned to the country,” he said.

MACC, he said, had over the years also uncovered various high-profile and grand corruption cases, as well as crippled criminal syndicates that bribed government officials.

This year, its Op Samba saw 23 Customs Department personnel at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) charged with smuggling activities, which had cost the government RM2 billion in lost revenue over three years.

MACC also conducted Op Transit, which smashed smuggling activities at Port Klang, which cost the government RM3.5 billion in losses over 10 years, and Op Pump, which saw Immigration staff busted for working with a syndicate to smuggle in foreigners via KLIA Terminals 1 and 2.

Op Liter, meanwhile, targeted the theft of subsidized diesel allocated for fishermen, which had cost the government RM400 million in losses since 2012.

“We also successfully recovered RM29 billion, nearly 70 per cent of the funds misappropriated in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd case using the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

This is a very proud achievement because the average global asset recovery is only about 30 per cent,” he said.

Azam said the growing complexity of battling corruption had prompted MACC to keep its officers up-to-date with the latest techniques and methodologies.

“Among others, we have emphasized intelligence-based investigation techniques, aimed at developing knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, behavior, and application on all aspects, theoretically and practically,” he said.

He said his Technology Forensic Division was also trained in forensic investigations such as tracking financial and money-laundering transactions.

MACC, he said, also tackles financial corruption via a Special Financial Crime Investigation Team through its Financial Analysis Division.

The team also comprises the National Audit Department, Accountant-General of Malaysia, IRB, Mara, Companies Commission of Malaysia, and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, among others.

He said MACC, with cooperation from the American Polygraph Association, had also established a team of 17 polygraphers to strengthen their investigations.

It also has the Anti-Corruption Tactical Squad, comprising 20 personnel trained by the elite VAT 69 Commando unit, to provide security protection for its officers during high-risk operations.

Azam said moving forward, it will further improve personnel placement and enhance department roles and functions for greater efficiency.

He added that MACC’s emphasis on investigating governance will see its Inspection and Consultancy Division rebranded to the Governance Investigation Division.

“It is important to eliminate any opportunities for corruption by strengthening governance and good governance practices,” he said.

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