Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed calls for the removal of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, saying there is no basis to sack an official who is performing his duties effectively.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia’s Chinese New Year celebration, Anwar defended Azam amid renewed scrutiny over alleged shareholdings.
“If someone is doing their job, why sack them? Read his explanation (on the report about his purported shareholdings),” he said.
The Prime Minister described the ongoing criticism as unhealthy and cautioned against rushing to conclusions without examining the facts. He stressed that decisions should only be made after hearing all sides and considering the relevant explanations.
The controversy follows a Bloomberg report alleging that Azam held 17.7 million shares — equivalent to 1.7 per cent — in Velocity Capital Bhd, based on the company’s annual return lodged on Feb 3 last year. His name was reportedly listed in the company’s register of shareholders at the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
The shareholding issue has raised questions over compliance with a 2024 government circular, which stipulates that civil servants may own shares in Malaysian-incorporated companies only if the holdings do not exceed five per cent of the paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower.
Several PKR Members of Parliament, including Rafizi Ramli and Hassan Karim, have called for Azam to resign or for the government to suspend or remove him from office. The matter has reignited debate over governance standards and public accountability, particularly for senior enforcement officials.
However, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M Kulasegaran clarified yesterday that civil servants may apply to the chief secretary to the government for exemption from the 2024 circular.
Earlier today, Azam announced that he would issue a letter of demand to Bloomberg, alleging that the report was malicious and had damaged both his reputation and that of the MACC. He said he had declared his shareholdings to the Public Services Department in July 2025 and that the shares were disposed of within the same year.
The episode has once again placed the spotlight on regulatory compliance among public officials, even as the government maintains that due process and fairness must guide any action taken.
