Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki will officially step down tomorrow after 42 years in the anti-graft agency, calling for continuous institutional reform to maintain public trust in the commission.
Azam said the agency’s transformation agenda must continue evolving to ensure the MACC remains relevant and effective in combating corruption.
“Transformation is a living process. Whoever becomes the chief commissioner must continue pushing for ongoing reforms. If there are no new approaches, we will remain stagnant and the public will judge whether MACC is effective or not,” he said.
Azam said among the major milestones in the agency’s evolution was the introduction of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997, which strengthened Malaysia’s anti-graft legal framework, followed by the MACC Act 2009 that brought wider institutional reforms.
He noted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was then deputy prime minister and finance minister, played a key role in introducing the 1997 legislation.
Azam also described the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock in 2009 as a turning point that prompted the MACC to undertake drastic reforms aimed at restoring public confidence and improving the agency’s image.
“Transformation takes time. During former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed’s tenure, reforms were implemented from 2011 to 2013 and have continued until today,” he said.
Commenting on his leadership style, Azam stressed that firmness was crucial in leading an enforcement agency to ensure officers were free from corruption, criminal conduct and disciplinary breaches.
“We cannot compromise with any officer who commits criminal offences, corruption or serious disciplinary misconduct,” he said.
Despite retiring, Azam said he remains prepared to contribute his experience and expertise to the country and will continue observing developments within the MACC from outside the agency.
“I will still observe MACC from the outside. When the time comes for me to speak, I will continue giving constructive views,” he said.
Former High Court judge Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman will assume the role of MACC chief commissioner effective May 13 after receiving consent from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim on April 25.
