The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will focus on improving the country’s economy by reducing leakages and recovering the nation’s wealth, said its Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki as the agency celebrates in 56th anniversary.
In line with the changing times, MACC had adopted a modern and professional approach to combating corruption and reducing leakages, thus recovering government assets and funds.
The commission has devised a technique for investigating high-profile cases involving people in positions or high-ranking individuals using the Intelligence-Based Investigations (IBI) method.
It is used in cases where deep analysis of the subjects is conducted before proper investigations.
“Starting with identifying high-profile corruption perpetrators and subsequently asset recovery, in which assets are returned to the government. This IBI method can uncover grand corruption,” he said in a special interview in conjunction with MACC’s 56th anniversary at the MACC headquarters recently.
Azam said MACC also conducted investigations using the Management Team-based Investigation (MTI) method to produce a more transparent and quality investigation paper.
These methods were used while considering the importance and urgency of a case, particularly when it involved organised criminal activities.
“This is because when corruption and abuse of power happen, they involve a significant amount of leakage. But this does not mean that other (smaller) cases are ignored. As I already said, it is the MACC’s responsibility to help the country generate income to revitalise the economy,” he said.
At the same time, Azam said investigations, charges, and several other legal processes were still ongoing, and efforts to repatriate public funds are being actively pursued.
One of the MACC’s success stories in using these methods was the recovery of assets and funds related to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.
He added that people should be made aware of the new method for them to comprehend the advantages of implementing it.
“They consider (bringing) charges (in court) important. I do not regard them (the charges) as not important, but if we can save costs by having a shorter trial, that is also beneficial,” Azam said, adding this approach was also adopted in developed countries such as the United States (US), which MACC used as a reference.
Following that, the commission is currently assessing the implementation of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) mechanism within the MACC Act.
“We will propose to the government that this law (DPA) be enacted in which charges are deferred, and a resolution is reached to ensure that the country obtains higher revenue,” he said.
On MACC’s accomplishments in 2022, 820 investigation papers involving corruption and abuse of power were opened, with 766 or 93.41 percent of the cases being resolved within the year.
“During that period, 909 individuals were arrested, including 323 civil servants, while the rest were from the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the general public, and others,” Azam said.
In terms of asset recovery, the total amount of assets forfeited last year was RM149,695,341.49, with compounds totalling RM44,454,800 issued under Section 92(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
“The highest contributor to the confiscated amount was from Ops 1MDB totalling RM64,386,825.68. This is a result of strategic cooperation between the MACC and other law enforcement agencies, including the US Department of Justice and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” he said.
From January to August this year, 869 individuals, 324 of whom were civil servants suspected of being involved in corruption, were arrested, adding that 326 individuals have been charged in court for offences related to bribery, false claims, and abuse of power.
Meanwhile, the commission is optimistic about making Malaysia a corruption-free nation by stepping up preventative measures to prevent and eradicate corruption at the grassroots level.
