KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Azam Baki’s reappointment as Malaysian Anti-Commission Commission chief was made after deliberations by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is also government spokesman, said this after being asked about the criticism levelled by the Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4 Centre) over Azam’s reappointment.
“C4 Centre has the right to express its view. At the same time, there is a consideration made by (Anwar) in making this decision,” he briefly said during a post-cabinet press conference at his ministry here today.
Last Saturday, Azam’s contract as MACC chief was renewed for another year, effective May 12 – the day his tenure was supposed to end.
He was appointed to lead the agency in 2020, replacing Latheefa Koya, who resigned in March 2020.
Last year, Anwar announced the government’s decision to extend Azam’s contract for a year.
The decision courted backlash from certain quarters, who pointed to how Azam had previously been embroiled in controversy over his ownership of shares in two public-listed companies.
Following the allegations that came to light in 2022, Anwar and other Pakatan Harapan leaders, who were then part of the opposition, had vocally spoken out against Azam while calling for an investigation into the matter. – May 15, 2024