PETALING JAYA: Fifty civil society organisations have urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to launch an independent investigation into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki.

       In a joint statement yesterday, the group spearheaded by Aliran, Gerak, Patriot, and Suaram said such a move was “much-needed to restore the credibility of the MACC”.

       They said many questions remain to be answered, including why Azam’s brother was permitted to buy shares using Azam’s securities account, which could possibly be a violation of the Security Industry (Central Depositories) Act.

       “Why did the MACC advisory board chairman allegedly disregard the views of the other members of the advisory board, and rely on his personal opinion to exonerate Azam Baki?

       “Why did the other members of the advisory board remain silent about the complaints raised by (Prof) Dr (Edmund) Terence Gomez after they attended a meeting on Nov 24 to discuss them?” the group said in a statement endorsed by 46 other civil society organisations.

       Gomez had resigned from the MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel last month, citing its alleged inaction over Azam’s shares controversy.

       The NGOs also demanded that Azam be placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation, while urging him to withdraw his letter of demand against a whistleblower.

       “(The group demands) the Whistleblower Protection Act be undertaken to strengthen the protection of whistleblowers so that the government implements serious reforms to make the MACC independent, along the lines recommended by four groups in 2015,” the NGOs said.

       These reforms include removing the MACC from the Prime Minister’s Department and placing it under the oversight of a bipartisan parliamentary special select committee, they added.