PM: Govt agencies to be probed for graft

KUALA LUMPUR: The new Government will investigate the Election Commission, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney-General for corruption, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We will look into it,” he said, when asked whether EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah and the A-G, Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, would be investigated.

“Our intention is to go for people who have shown a tendency to be corrupt or who have committed known corrupt acts,” he told a press conference yesterday after a Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting yesterday.

He claimed that the A-G had “undermined his own credibility”. “That is wrong in law,” he said. The Prime Minister said the Government would also “study” whether the MACC had been fair.

“If we find that they are biased or in favour of any group, including ourselves, we will have to change them,” he said.

Mohd Hashim, he said, would be investigated to determine if he had been biased or involved in corrupt practices.

“(If he is), we will have to take action against him,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said this was not about revenge, and that any action taken against agency heads would be done in accordance with the law.

“We will have to consult the administrators and lawyers to find out whether whatever we do is in keeping with the laws of the country,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also said that the Government would look into getting heads of government agencies vetted by Parliament.

Currently, the appointment of government agency heads are made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on the advice of the Prime Minister.

These heads have been accused of being partial towards the executive.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan said it was possible for the Government to make amendments to the respective Act that governs the agencies.

However, he said it was trickier to make amendments to the appointment of the A-G as it would require amending the Federal Constitution.

“If it is a constitutional position, such as the A-G, then they would need to amend the Federal Constitution. That would require a two- thirds majority,” said Syahredzan.

“I can see bipartisan support for such an amendment because it would provide check and balance. I don’t see why the Opposition would not want to support such an amendment,” he said.

Syahredzan said that such institutional reforms were a major thrust in the Pakatan manifesto.

“It will be interesting to see how much of their promises the Government can execute and fulfil,” he said.

“I expect that those that do not require constitutional amendments can be implemented fairly quickly,” said Syahredzan.