The new MACC chief has to prove that he isn’t one of PM Anwar’s lackeys and has the balls to investigate Anwar’s cronies.
As recent as February this year, Anwar Ibrahim was still furiously defending the indefensible Azam Baki, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner. In fact, the arrogant Prime Minister was determined to renew the corrupt anti-graft chief’s one-year contract for the fourth term just to show who’s the boss – and to show his middle finger to critics that he won’t bow to pressure.
“He is doing his job. Why attack him? Why insult people who do their work?” – the PM defended his errand boy despite public demands to remove the MACC chief over his corporate shareholding irregularities, and Bloomberg reports on “corporate mafia” involving Azam Baki’s agency. Instead of investigating Azam, PM Anwar ordered authorities to harass Bloomberg and threaten critics instead.
On February 13, former economy minister Rafizi Ramli led seven other MPs from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which is part of the government coalition, to call on party president Anwar to act against Azam. “I would like to advise Prime Minister Anwar not to repeat the mistakes made by Najib Razak during the 1MDB scandal,” – Rafizi said, referring to the Malaysian state fund scandal which led to the fall and imprisonment of former PM Najib.
Rafizi’s show of defiance – indirectly challenging his party boss Anwar – would make the prime minister lose face and look weak if Azam’s contract is not extended for the fourth time. Surrounded by apple polishers, Anwar believes he is the best prime minister, the most charismatic leader, the most powerful man, the cleverest finance minister, and the most popular Muslim leader in the world.
After all, Anwar was the one who extended Azam’s tenure from May 12, 2023, to May 11, 2024, followed by another term from May 12, 2024, to May 12, 2025, and reappointed again for the third time until May 12, 2026. If he had done that thrice, surely he could do it again. The narcissist Premier would certainly look foolish and cowardly if he stopped extending Azam’s contract after repeatedly praising the MACC chief’s “extraordinary courage”.
However, by early March, there was a change of tone. When grilled by journalists about a report by the Singapore-based Straits Times that the term for Azam would not be renewed, Anwar played dumb. He was no longer his usual arrogant self. His spectacular 180-degree turn from profusely defending Azam Baki to timidly avoiding the question was both hilarious and breathtaking.
On Wednesday (April 22), it was game over for the 62-year-old Azam. Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim said that he will “personally” select the country’s new anti-graft chief – the strongest sign that current MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki is set to be replaced. “I will determine the best candidate to lead the MACC after this,” announced Sultan Ibrahim of Johor.
The King’s “intervention” is a humiliation to Anwar Madani. The first message sent by the monarch: Azam is guilty as hell over allegations of professional misconduct and breaches of public service regulations. This also means the prime minister has lied from the beginning in insisting Azam was clean. If Azam was indeed innocent as claimed, why would the King refuse to extend his contract?
The second message – the Monarch appears to have, behind closed doors, rejected Anwar’s effort to extend Azam’s contract again for another year at a time when the PM was resisting the pressure to axe Azam. Obviously, this is a slap in the PM’s face as he was fighting tooth and nail in a perception war with his protégé Rafizi that Azam was working incredibly hard fighting corruption and deserved a fourth contract extension.
The third message – Sultan Ibrahim has lost faith in Anwar’s leadership. The King said that the MACC chief commissioner’s role was vital in ensuring the agency continues to function effectively as the nation’s primary institution in combating corruption, embezzlement, and abuse of power. Never in the history of the country where a monarch undermined a PM by publicly announcing he would personally pick the anti-corruption agency chief.
It’s worth noting that the same outspoken sultan was responsible for approving Azam Baki’s extension twice since the monarch was sworn in as Malaysia’s 17th King (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) on January 31, 2024, marking the start of a five-year reign. On those two occasions, Sultan Ibrahim reappointed Azam based on the advice of the Prime Minister, as per Section 5 of the MACC Act 2009.
On Friday (April 24), two days after the King said he would choose the MACC’s new chief commissioner, Anwar, with egg on his face, presented Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim with a list of candidates. The PM can no longer bulldoze his choice of candidate, as that power is now in the hands of the King. Instead of rubber-stamping the MACC chief, the monarch demanded a list of choices – probably a whisper about his preferred candidate.
Arguably, King Sultan Ibrahim appears to have ignored PM Anwar’s power in Section 5 of the MACC Act 2009, which says that the Agong (King) shall appoint the MACC Chief Commissioner on the advice of the Prime Minister. By ignoring Anwar’s advice, the King shows not only his displeasure but also his distrust in the PM’s capability in choosing a credible candidate.
Yes, Sultan Ibrahim no longer takes advice from Anwar in the process of appointing the next MACC Chief Commissioner. And that’s a big deal because the monarch has essentially taken both roles – “to select” and “to appoint.” It shows dissatisfaction. It shows loss of trust. More importantly, it shows a loss of confidence in the 10th Prime Minister, dealing a blow to Anwar’s chest-thumping rhetoric about fighting corruption.
On Saturday (April 25), the puzzle was solved after Abdul Halim Aman, a former High Court judge, was appointed the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief to replace Azam Baki. While the battle against the reappointment of Azam has been won, it’s too early to tell whether the King’s new selection is a game-changer or merely old wine in a new bottle.
A former High Court judge who retired about three years ago, having served at the Penang High Court (2009) and Johor Baru High Court (2010) before his long tenure at the Shah Alam High Court from 2013 until his mandatory retirement in March 2023, the 69-year-old Abdul Halim would be under the public’s microscope for every word and decision he makes.
His extensive background in criminal jurisprudence and courtroom management was perhaps the primary reason he got the King’s attention. However, his age could be a double-edged sword – either he could end up as Azam Baki 2.0, or he could become a fearsome graft buster. People had been hoping for former Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat to replace Azam.
Another potential candidate to succeed Azam Baki before the appointment of little-known Abdul Halim was Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, currently the Deputy Inspector-General of Police. Noted for his strict, no-nonsense approach to fighting corruption and crime, Ayob was bypassed by the Anwar administration for the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) when Razarudin Husain took the top post in June 2023.
Crucially, the new MACC chief has to prove that he isn’t one of PM Anwar’s lackeys and has the balls to investigate Anwar’s cronies and former political secretary turned multi-millionaire businessman, such as Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak – the key player in the Corporate Mafia scandal. Failure to do so would also affect Sultan Ibrahim’s reputation and image.
Ending Azam Baki’s service does not automatically end all the scandals, corruptions, and abuses of power associated with the MACC and other authorities deployed to cover up the shameful episodes. The new chief has to investigate – not harass – Bloomberg over MACC’s alleged collusion with a group of businessmen – dubbed the “corporate mafia” – in corporate tussles.
And just because Azam is out of MACC does not mean Anwar can forget about Azam’s extraordinary wealth in owning RM14 million in shares across nine companies, including 17.7 million shares of Velocity Capital Partner. Pussyfooting by asking agencies of the same feather – Royal Malaysia Police, Securities Commission, the Inland Revenue Board and the MACC – to look into Azam’s crimes is laughable.
It would be an insult to the people’s intelligence to say the MACC’s integrity and credibility have been restored just with the axing of Azam Baki and the new appointment of Abdul Halim. Worse, if Azam is rewarded by the despicable Anwar administration with a new chairmanship or directorship of some GLCs (government-linked companies), it would send the wrong message that even the King has been played and manipulated. – Finance Twitter