KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Organisation (Pakar) has defended the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission against claims that the latter lacks independence.
Pakar criticised the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) for its media statement on Wednesday in which the centre had made the claims.
Pakar president Mohd Nasir Ab Hadi described C4's claim as "baseless" and "misleading".
He said, before criticising MACC, C4 should first examine the level of transparency within its own organisation.
"C4 is known to receive funding from foreign sources such as the Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), funded by the United States Congress.
"This financial link raises questions about C4's real agenda and whether they are genuinely neutral or influenced by external interests.
"As a non-governmental organisation that claims to act as a watchdog, they should demonstrate the transparency they demand from other institutions," he said in a statement.
Nasir said MACC has a strong legal foundation that guarantees its independence from political interference.
According to the MACC Act, he said, the commission is not required to report directly to the prime minister and can investigate any corruption cases freely.
"While the chief commissioner is appointed based on the prime minister's advice to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the MACC operates with legally-guaranteed autonomy.
"MACC is overseen by five independent oversight bodies comprising public representatives, parliamentarians and experts from various fields," he said.
Nasir said bodies such as the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, Special Committee on Corruption and Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel ensure that every action and investigation by the MACC is conducted fairly, independently and according to the law.
He said MACC is also required to present an annual report to Parliament, allowing members to discuss and evaluate the actions taken by the commission.
This, he said, ensures transparency in the MACC's operations and provides opportunities for ongoing monitoring by various stakeholders.
"We invite C4 and other parties to engage in more constructive discussions rather than issuing sweeping criticisms. Corruption is a shared issue that requires collaboration from all sides.
"A coordinated effort between the MACC and civil society organisations is far more effective in ensuring progress in the fight against corruption in Malaysia," he said.
Yesterday, Malaysian Corruption Watch also came to the defence of the MACC following C4's statement.