Advisers want MACC to open up

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisers have urged the commission to be more transparent about its activities.

The message was conveyed on Wednesday during MACC's three-hour briefing in Putrajaya to its advisory board and committees and panels regarding the death of witness Teoh Beng Hock.

Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel member Robert Phang said advisers urged MACC to address the perception that it was practicing selective investigations.

"We asked them if it was true that only Chinese state assemblypersons being investigated. They said it was not true, but we said that we didn't know," said Phang, when contacted by Malaysiakini .

Citing another example, Phang said advisers only found out that the MACC were pursuing corruption allegations against former Selangor menteri besar Dr Khir Toyo during the briefing.

Phang said the advisers informed the MACC that their public relations capability was "very poor", and recommended that the commission hold weekly press conferences to keep the public abreast with their investigations.

During the briefing, advisers were told that the MACC refrains from revealing information to the press due to fear of subjudice and compromising investigations, said Phang.

"But when it comes to accusations of selective investigation and the MACC procedures, these issues can be discussed openly and be subjected to media scrutiny," he said.

Quit rumours

The briefing was chaired by MACC deputy director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed. Investigations director Syukri Abdul and other top officers were present.

Phang said the meeting was "very interactive" and the officers seemed responsive to recommendations.

The 30-odd advisers present, out of a total of 42, are understood to have unanimously called for a royal commission of inquiry to be established to probe Teoh's death and re-evaluate MACC internal mechanisms.

[The government agreed to set up a royal commission yesterday but it would only look into MACC's interrogatory mechanisms. Teoh's death would be probed by a magistrate in an inquest.]

Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam last Thursday, hours after he was interrogated on the 14th floor of the same building by Selangor MACC.

MACC said that Teoh was a witness in the alleged misappropriation of state funds by Pakatan Rakyat state assemblypersons, a charge Pakatan insists was politically motivated, often citing a litany of corruption allegations against Barisan Nasional politicians which are seemingly ignored by the authorities.

On claims that several of the 41 MACC advisory board, committee and panel members planning to resign in protest, Phang said he was unaware of such rumours.

Phang said he had no intention of resigning and intends to stay on to help rebuild public confidence in MACC.

"MACC is in turmoil, all the more reason why we should try and help. Resigning is never an option to solve anything... we must be there to help in whatever capacity," he said.

News that advisers were quitting in protest appeared earlier this week.

‘Neutered and silenced'

Meanwhile, Suhakam vice-chairperson Simon Sipaun said he was very unhappy with Teoh's death because he MACC had held him overnight until 3.45am last Thursday.

"Personally, I consider it inhumane," said Sipaun, who stressed he was speaking in his capacity as a Suhakam commission though he also sits on the MACC advisory board.

When told that some MACC advisers were contemplating resignation, Sipaun said he was unaware of this, adding that the advisory board cancelled its scheduled July 13 meet.

However, he said: "I'm won't be surprised (that some may want to quit). No point being there if you are being neutered and silenced".

Sipaun was unable to comment on the briefing yesterday, called at the eleventh hour, as he was attending to a prior engagement in Sabah.

"As far as Sabah is concerned, I have not met a single person who has kind words to say about the MACC. The perception is so bad," he adds.