C4, Bersih urge govt to release Azam probe findings

PETALING JAYA: The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) and Bersih have criticised Putrajaya’s refusal to release the findings of a special investigation into former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki’s alleged shareholdings.

The civil society groups said even if certain documents could not be released due to legal constraints, the government should publish a redacted executive summary of the committee’s report.

They said the government took a similar approach in 2024 with a royal commission of inquiry’s report on Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, where sensitive information was removed while the rest of the findings were made public.

They said Malaysians were effectively being asked to accept the government’s “bare assertions” on the Azam probe with no evidence in support.

“Even if certain documents cannot be released due to legal constraints, what stops the government from publishing an executive summary of the committee’s report with personal information redacted?” they said in a statement.

The groups renewed their calls for the government to publish the committee’s findings and take immediate and appropriate action against Azam if criminal elements were disclosed.

C4 and Bersih also said Malaysians expected proactive transparency from an administration that claimed to have zero tolerance for corruption.

They said keeping the findings hidden only reinforced perceptions that the government had something to hide.

Yesterday, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said Azam’s shareholding records could not be disclosed as they formed part of investigation documents, personal information, and asset declarations protected under existing laws.

She maintained that the issues raised were examined comprehensively by a special task force formed in February and that appropriate action was taken.

Azam was alleged to have breached a 2024 government circular limiting civil servants to holding no more than 5% of paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower, in Malaysian-incorporated companies.

He ended his six-year tenure as MACC chief commissioner in May and was succeeded by Abdul Halim Aman, a former High Court judge.