Civil society groups spearheading the #RCINow campaign have given MPs 14 days to declare their support for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into allegations of a “corporate mafia” involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), its former chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and other individuals, saying they have already secured the backing of 34 lawmakers.
Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz, speaking on behalf of the RCINow secretariat, said MPs have until July 30 to state their position, with the coalition targeting support from at least 112 MPs for the establishment of the RCI.
He emphasised that the establishment of an RCI is no longer an option but a necessity to ensure all allegations are investigated independently, transparently and comprehensively, while restoring public confidence in national institutions.
Faisal said the allegations had raised serious questions over the integrity of Malaysia’s law enforcement institutions and undermined public confidence in the country’s anti-corruption framework.
He also criticised the government’s failure to disclose the findings of the special committee that investigated Azam’s share ownership controversy, saying the lack of transparency had reinforced perceptions that matters involving public interest were being concealed.
To date, Faisal revealed that the secretariat has secured the signatures of 34 MPs from the government backbenchers and Opposition to support the proposed RCI after a series of engagements with them over the past three days.
“During those engagement sessions, some MPs who declined to sign cited the need to first obtain the approval of their respective party leadership.
“Regardless, the secretariat will continue engaging MPs through official parliamentary email and constituency office visits before publishing the position of every lawmaker after the deadline,” Faisal said, while highlighting that the detailed list of MPs who supported, rejected or declined to back the proposed inquiry will be release on Aug 3.
Asked whether the secretariat had information on companies allegedly linked to the purported corporate mafia, Faisal told BusinessToday that it had no knowledge beyond what had been reported, stressing that an independent RCI was needed to establish the facts through a credible and transparent investigation.
On the campaign’s next course of action should it fail to secure enough parliamentary backing, Faisal also informed BusinessToday that the secretariat had yet to decide on its next move but was not ruling out taking the matter to the streets.
He added that there would be no extension beyond the July 30 deadline despite knowing the period given is within the Negeri Sembilan state election campaign period.
On a separate note, Mandiri coordinator Wong Ku Kui said Putatan MP Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya had outright refused to support the RCI during a meeting with the group, citing criticism he had received over the issue.
