It is being perceived as a watchdog without teeth. Wong Ho Leng says the agency must be made independent so that it can execute its duties effectively.

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is perceived by society as a watchdog without teeth, said DAP Sarawak chief Wong Ho Leng.

In a telephone interview, Wong said this perception came about because of the ACA's non-proactive efforts against graft.

"There are many loopholes in the law but what is worse, is that laws without enforcement amount to nothing," he added.

He said the ACA should be acting on complaints brought to its attention and collect the necessary information from the ground.

"But now one must lodge a proper report, having to undergo interviews, etc making people feel uneasy. The ACA is too reactive," he explained.

The main problem that hinders the ACA from carrying out its duties without fear or favour is that the agency is not independent, he added.

"The ACA should be reporting directly to Parliament or the state assembly and not the Prime Minister's Department. It should be made to report to all cabinet members and not one particular member," he said.

Action against whistleblowers

Wong said the public are also deterred by the fact that now whistleblowers are also facing prosecution.

Naturally, nobody would dare come forward to lodge reports, he noted.

On the same note, Wong said ACA should be commended for bringing two big personalities to book but this is still subject to them being "proven guilty".

"But the popular feeling on the ground is that there are so many big sharks around, why is the ACA only going after the small anchovies?" he questioned.

The DAP leader also claimed that the ACA is still sitting on a corruption case dating back to 2001.

"The complainant was given RM100,000 in order not to contest in the state election, the money was given to the ACA, and the complainant is still waiting for the answer.

"There has not been a single word from the ACA. The complainant also gave me a photograph showing the stack of money in the ACA office," he added.

Wong said if Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is serious about fighting graft, Malaysia should not be ranked 44 in the International Corruption Perception Index.