A coalition of 51 civil society organisations and student groups under the #RCINOW Secretariat has issued a comprehensive memorandum calling on the Federal Government to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI). The inquiry is aimed at investigating a damning “corporate mafia” scandal and initiating structural reforms within the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The joint memorandum, endorsed by prominent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including Bersih, the C4 Center, Suaram, and Rasuah Busters, outlines a growing public trust deficit plaguing the country’s primary anti-corruption agency following a series of high-profile controversies.
The secretariat’s immediate catalyst for the RCI demand stems from grave allegations reported earlier this year. It is alleged that top MACC officials and the agency’s “Section D” wing—the unit responsible for investigating listed companies and insider trading—colluded with a network of corrupt business leaders dubbed the “corporate mafia.”
According to the memorandum, the schemes involved utilizing MACC enforcement machinery to launch targeted raids, intimidate executives, and force the coercive surrender of shares to facilitate hostile corporate takeovers in exchange for illicit fees.
The secretariat criticised the government’s current response of assigning internal probes to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Securities Commission (SC). They noted that current investigations have seemingly stalled, creating a conflict of interest.
To restore institutional credibility, the coalition demands that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to invoke the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950 to set up an independent RCI. They propose the panel be led by highly respected former members of the judiciary, such as former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
The proposed RCI would specifically probe on the alleged involvement and personal complicity of former MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki with individuals linked to the network. The explicit role of MACC’s “Section D” wing in harassing businesspeople to force corporate takeovers.
Beyond the immediate corporate scandal, the memorandum targets the systemic “opacity” surrounding how the MACC’s top leadership is selected. The recent closed-door appointment of former High Court judge Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman as the new Chief Commissioner in April 2026—following the conclusion of Azam Baki’s controversial six-year tenure—highlighted significant gaps in transparency.
Currently, Section 5(1) of the MACC Act 2009 concentrates absolute appointment power within the Executive, allowing the Prime Minister to choose the Chief Commissioner unilaterally. The secretariat argues this dynamic creates a conflict of interest that leaves the agency vulnerable to political weaponization and selective enforcement.
To establish democratic guardrails, the coalition demands legislative amendments to the MACC Act to:
- Involve Parliament: Create a dedicated Parliamentary Standing Select Committee (PSSC) to publicly vet nominees and select qualified candidates based on rigid professional benchmarks.
- Secure Tenure: Repeal provisions allowing the Chief Commissioner to serve purely “at the pleasure” of the Executive. Instead, implement a formal removal tribunal structure identical to the constitutional protections given to Federal Court judges.
The memorandum further criticizes the MACC’s current five-body advisory framework—which includes the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB) and the Operations Review Panel (ORP)—labeling it as “fundamentally disingenuous” and structurally incapable of holding the agency accountable since their scopes are strictly limited to providing non-binding advice.
As a corrective framework, the #RCINOW Secretariat demands a complete structural overhaul of MACC’s accountability mechanisms:
- Afford Investigative Teeth to Parliament: Empower the new parliamentary select committee to conduct independent inquiries, summon witnesses, and mandate the production of agency documents.
- Integrate the Ombudsman: Place the MACC directly under the purview of the upcoming Ombudsman Malaysia to handle public complaints regarding internal administrative malpractice and officer misconduct.
- Mandate Public Disclosure: Enforce transparency obligations where all oversight proceedings, transcripts, and investigative findings are made fully accessible to the general public.
The secretariat urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to act decisively on these structural demands, reminding the administration of its international commitments to the UN Human Rights Council regarding the establishment of independent parliamentary bodies to oversee anti-corruption institutions.
