MACC’s Azam Baki also has rights
Just because Azam Baki is a government officer does not mean he has no rights and civil liberties. He cannot be denied his rights just because the anti-government people don’t like him. And the fact that Azam Baki is pursuing cases against anti-government people smacks of vendetta, mala fide, and conflict of interest.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
First of all, according to the law, Lalitha Kunaratnam is NOT classified as a whistleblower. So why do they keep referring to her as a whistleblower?
Secondly, they are talking as if Lalitha Kunaratnam is a victim and Azam Baki is the perpetrator. Is Azam Baki not also the victim of an allegation yet to be proven? How can Azam Baki be charged, tried, and sentenced by a reporter? Is that not the job of the court?
Finally, they talk about the right of Lalitha Kunaratnam to report alleged crimes? What about the right of Azam Baki to protect his reputation and dignity? Does he not have rights as well?
Has the MACC not already said Azam Baki is not guilty of any crime? If the MACC is wrong, then the Attorney-General should press charges against Azam Baki and try him in a court of law before a judge.
Just because Azam Baki is a government officer does not mean he has no rights and civil liberties. He cannot be denied his rights just because the anti-government people don’t like him. And the fact that Azam Baki is pursuing cases against anti-government people smacks of vendetta, mala fide, and conflict of interest.
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(Malaysiakini) – A group of 21 opposition MPs today issued a statement calling Putrajaya to stop all “harassments” on whistleblowers and those who speak out against the scandal implicating MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki. This comes after Azam filed a defamation suit against journalist Lalitha Kunaratnam, who had written about the former’s share ownership in two publicly listed companies.
The MPs also criticised the anti-graft body for lodging a police report against Lalitha, which led to the authority opening an investigation against her.
“The government should not go after whistleblowers and those who have spoken up against the purported misdeeds of Azam. Police investigations pursuant to police reports lodged by the MACC against Lalitha, who exposed the alleged company shares being owned by Azam and those which may be held in proxy by his younger brother is clearly a harassment by the MACC,” the statement said.
It was reported yesterday that Azam had filed a suit against Lalitha, which his lawyer said was done in order to protect his reputation and professional standing. Azam had previously issued a letter of demand to Lalitha via his lawyers, demanding an apology and RM10 million in damages.
The 21 MPs also said that police resources should not be used to investigate those speaking up about the MACC scandal. They claimed that it was unnecessary for the police to call up several groups including the PKR Youth and Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik for protesting against alleged inaction by authorities in the MACC scandal.
