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PARLIAMENT The government will not give the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) the power to prosecute as this can lead to “abuse of power”.

NONEDeputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Razali Ibrahim (right) said giving such power to the MACC would mean it can investigate as well as charge people in court, “without checks and balances”.

“This can bring about elements of abuse (penganiayaan), where someone who does not deserve to be charged can be charged,” Razali said during Question Time today.

He was responding to Darell Leiking (PKR-Penampang) who asked why the government was not giving MACC the power to prosecute.

By not giving prosecutional powers to the MACC, Razali said, the agency could also be "more focused".

'MACC has special team to probe AG Report cases'

To a supplementary question from Leiking, Razali said MACC has also set up a special team to investigate cases highlighted in the 2012 Auditor-General's Report.

Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohammed said that the MACC has "reached international standard" in terms of its conviction rates.

NONEAbu Kassim (right) said this after handing over the 2012 MACC Annual Report to the Special Committee on Corruption at the Parliament building today.

In 2012, conviction rates went up to a high of 85 percent, leaping from only 45 percent in 2009.

"According to international standards, a reasonable rate is more than 80 percent, so in principle, we should be proud...

"If we compare with Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and so on, our conviction rate has surpassed the standard," Abu Kassim said.

He said that as at June 2013, the MACC's conviction rate was 88 percent, while Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption hit 90 percent in the same period.

The Special Committee on Corruption will review the 2012 MACC Annual Report and include its input before presenting it to the prime minister.