ENSURE TRANSPARENT ERADICATION OF CORRUPTION - REPEAL SECTION 29(4) OF MACC ACT 2009

I refer to the announcement today by MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohammed that with immediate effect, the Commission would enforce an existing ruling which prohibits those who lodge reports with the MACC to inform the public, including the media, on the matter, so that it would not be “common knowledge” who and what the anti-graft authorities were investigating.

Under Section 29(4) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, a report to the Commission shall be “kept secret and shall not be disclosed by any person to any person other than officers of the commission and the Public Prosecutor until an accused person has been charged in court for an offence under this Act or any other written law in consequence of such report, unless the disclosure is made with the consent of the Public Prosecutor or an officer of the commission of the rank of commissioner and above.”

It is clear under the law that any person, including the media, is prohibited to disclose the report lodge with the MACC before the accused being charged in court.

I fully understand that there is a need by the Commission to keep certain cases private as the element of secrecy may be crucial in their investigation.

However, at the same time, Malaysians have a right to know if there is any report made to the Commission, in particular those cases involving government departments and states agencies, be it under Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

Eradication of corruption in Malaysia should be transparent.

Such transparency will also serve as a “check & balance” on the efficiency of the Commission.

If the reputation of the accused person is unjustly affected by the publication of the reported case, then the accused could always file a civil suit in court for damages under defamatory action.

Thus, I would propose that:-

1. the government should consider repealing Section 29(4) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009 to promote transparency in eradicating corruption in Malaysia; and

2. MACC should not invoke Section 29(4) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act.