MACC chief: I’ll quit if big fish are let off
“You know that I am (prepared). I can make sure that if there is a case and report against any cabinet minister (and subsequently no action is taken), I am willing to go down,” he said to a thunderous applause from about 200 people attending the event.
By Rahmah Ghazali, Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed today gave a firm assurance that he will not bow down from taking action against anybody, including members of the cabinet. Abu Kassim, speaking at the 15th Malaysian Law Conference on the challenges faced by the MACC, said he was fully committed to fight corruption, even if it costs his career.
Taking a question from former Bar Council chairperson S Ambiga, Abu Kassim said he was prepared to take action against any members of the cabinet for corruption.
“100 percent, yes,” he said.
“You know that I am (prepared). I can make sure that if there is a case and report against any cabinet minister (and subsequently no action is taken), I am willing to go down,” he said to a thunderous applause from about 200 people attending the event.
He however took a beating from Ambiga who labeled the commission as the “hatchet boy of the government” and for still not being up to the standards imposed by the highly respected and independent Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong.
According to her, MACC was “not entirely independent” as it was not made accountable to the Parliament.
“The commission’s image and credibility were knocked especially during the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Perak constitutional quagmire and the recent cases of three high-profile leaders being cleared of corruption allegations,” she said.
“I would like to say that the perception is there and it is still the hatchet boy of the government. I think you have to work on that perception and not to compare it with ICIC,” she told Abu Kassim.
