MACC chief to be appointed through parliamentary vote

The government has agreed that the appointment of the next Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief will be made through parliamentary vote.

Current chief commissioner Azam Baki said this was decided at a recent meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption.

He said the appointment for MACC’s top post would need two-thirds’ support from MPs.

“If the service of the chief commissioner is terminated, it will also need to go through a special tribunal and cannot be easily terminated by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister.

“The meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin also agreed to have a Service Commission under MACC,” Azam said in an interview with Melakafm yesterday.

He said once in place, the recruitment and termination of MACC officers and staff would be handled by the MACC Service Commission instead of the Public Service Commission.

He said this would also demonstrate the government’s transparency and MACC’s freedom to act as it deemed necessary.