PUTRAJAYA: There is no need to establish an independent committee to probe the misconduct of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers as the current five overseeing committees were sufficient to execute that duty.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the current committee already had the 'Complaints Committee' (Jawatankuasa Aduan) to investigate all complaints with regards to misconduct by MACC officers.
He was responding to the revelation by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh yesterday that the government would bring to cabinet a proposal to create an independent committee that will investigate complaints made against MACC officers.
"So far MACC is overseen by five independent panels including one panel which is the Complaints Committee which has been around for a long time to investigate misconduct by MACC officers.
"For criminal cases, the police and MACC will investigate.
"The current set up is sufficient to investigate misconduct among MACC officers. It has been around and they have already investigated the misconduct," he said to reporters after attending the Communication and Digital Ministry Integrity Day celebrations today.
Yesterday, Ramkarpal said the government needed more time to review the proposal to create an independent committee that will investigate complaints made against MACC officers.
Ramkarpal was responding to Gobind Singh Deo in Parliament who questioned when an independent committee would be formed to investigate MACC officers accused of misconduct.
In response Ramkarpal said the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, the Special Committee on Corruption, and the Complaints Committee under the MACC continue to carry out their functions.
He also said the MACC was reviewing methods to strengthen the roles of the committees further.
He said between 2018 and 2023, 42 disciplinary actions have been taken against MACC officers accused of misconduct with 15 already dismissed.