MACC gets rare bouquet from advisory panel

MACC deputy commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed's attempts to engage the media in recent days have earned him some rare bouquets, albeit grudgingly, from the anti-graft body's own panel of 42 advisors who oversee five oversight committees.

Panel members apparently want to say Syabas! (well done) to Abu Kassim. MACC advisor Robert Phang, who shared this insight on a new mood of cautious optimism among his fellow-advisors, said the panel members are particularly encouraged by Abu Kassim's public take on them.

Another key point was the disclosure by Abu Kassim (right) that there is a special inter-departmental investigation committee to probe graft among MACC officers and staff, said Phang, "although it has yet to be activated so far".

"I would not say that the worst (in terms of relationship) is behind us. All the advisors are encouraged by the impression that MACC appreciates the role that we have been entrusted to play.

"But I must clarify that I'm not speaking on behalf of the advisory panel. However, we worry that the new mood may not be sustainable for long."

"My fellow advisors are men of the utmost personal integrity and have distinguished themselves in so many ways. They are not in this for themselves. In fact, they get nothing out of all this except perhaps hope for a cleaner nation," said Phang.

"It pains me personally when I have to go solo to the media in the course of being a more effective advisor. But we value public perception. We can't be seen as being in cahoots with anyone or covering up after the fact."

Phang says he and his fellow advisors can even pat themselves on the back a little for their efforts to encourage the anti-graft body to redeem itself in the public eye.

He's particularly gratified by the support he had in public from fellow advisors Simon Sipaun and Ramon Navaratnam, and former Transparency Malaysia president Tunku Abdul Aziz, in trying to save the MACC from itself.

Panel members delighted

Phang was put on the carpet recently, along with Navaratnam, via a secret e-mail poll for being "too outspoken in the media" on MACC's growing unpopularity among the general public.

"In fact, things began turning around in the relationship between MACC and the advisory panel when their top guys apologised profusely for the secret e-mail poll," said Phang.

"Now, with all the nice things that Abu Kassim has been saying about us in the media, we can say that some of the past is behind us and we can move forward. Forgiven of course but not quite forgotten."

In the past, panel members had been accused of going public with their gripes against the MACC and even not being supportive of the body they were advising.

Now, the MACC or at least Abu Kassim seems to be taking a leaf from their page to the delight of the panel members.

Phang sees some hope in the direction that MACC is moving, pending the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into its interrogation and investigation procedures.

Meanwhile, the on-going inquest into the death of witness Teoh Beng Hock while in the custody of the MACC casts a shadow over the organisation.

Phang (left) said the MACC's commitment to install CCTV (closed circuit television) in interrogation and investigation rooms is an important development which will considerably ease fears fed by the rumour mills and the political grapevine.

"Some may see the CCTV plan as pre-empting the RCI but I think that we should all give the MACC the benefit of the doubt in this case," said Phang.

"As Abu Kassim has pointed out, CCTV or no CCTV, the inquest will help us establish the truth. All of us have to brace ourselves for the truth and move on from there."

Phang forsees public perceptions, judging from Abu Kassim's remarks in the media, as a particularly difficult area for the MACC.

One reason for this is the fact that the MACC does not report to a select all-party parliamentary committee but to the prime minister himself.

Hence, the suspicion that the MACC can be misused by the prime minister for political purposes or even to save the more favoured guilty ones for reasons of political expediency.

Members of the public continue to point fingers at former Selangor menteri besar Mohamad Khir Toyo, a fact not disputed by Abu Kassim in his recent media encounters, and Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, among others, for their unexplained sources of wealth.

"This is a difficult area. But Abu Kassim just can't throw in the towel when it comes to public perceptions about the MACC," said Phang.

"That's why that all of us (advisory panel) agreed at a recent meeting that the MACC should hold weekly media briefings."

"The MACC cannot take the view that such briefings will compromise their ongoing investigations."

Negative public perception

Phang disclosed that the advisory panel has since recommended that the MACC give a weekly progress report to the media on its various activities with breakdown figures.

This, according to him, includes the number of reports received, the investigations launched, and the numbers that have been recommended for prosecution.

The MACC takes the view that it is prohibited under the law to reveal anything under investigation, a point underscored by Abu Kassim.

"I think that the most important are those cases involving political parties," said Phang. "The public must have access to the breakdown in terms of the political parties involved. This will ease fears that there is selective prosecution.

"MACC cannot afford such a negative public perception. Otherwise, sooner or later, it will be history like its predecessor, the ACA (Anti Corruption Agency)."

MACC said the negative perception of the anti-graft body mainly stemmed from cases involving opposition political parties coming under media scrutiny.

Abu Kassim said the "opposition parties had a habit of inviting the media to probe their corruption cases unlike the BN which is too ashamed to even admit that it is being probed for corruption. It's a different culture and there's a new environment for us."

"A great majority of the cases end with no prosecution," said Abu Kassim. "In fact, it is very difficult in most cases to get sufficient evidence to prosecute corruption cases. There are also more cases against the BN compared to the opposition."

Phang, however, felt that such claims must be proven to the satisfaction of the public, otherwise the MACC's image will continue to suffer "which can only compromise its moral standing and affect its work".

On the issue of "culprits getting away scott-free", Phang said that it may be due to the MACC not having sufficient senior or trained officers, a point uncontested by Abu Kassim.