Stupid To Place Macc Under Eaic Says Ex Director

---

 
Former special operations division director Bahri Zin said it would be better to enhance the internal disciplinary department in government agencies. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: A former director of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has slammed a proposal to place the anti-graft agency under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC)’s purview, describing it as a “stupid move”.
Bahri Zin, who played a vital role in the SRC International Sdn Bhd investigations, also said it would be a waste of public funds as the MACC was already being monitored by five bodies – of which the government was already spending a lot on.
The five are the Special Committee on Corruption, the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, the Complaints Committee, the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel as well as the Operations Review Panel.
Bahri, a former special operations division director, also said that every enforcement agency had its own disciplinary department to keep them in check.
“It is ridiculous that when these departments fail to function, we decide on establishing a different body to take over their roles or in this case put it under the EAIC’s purview.
“What we really need to do is to enhance the disciplinary department and give them more bite,” he told FMT.
On Tuesday, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said a proposal to place MACC under EAIC’s purview was made during the first meeting of the pro-tem committee.
The committee met to discuss Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal for a new body to oversee and investigate all complaints against law enforcement bodies.
There are currently 21 enforcement agencies listed under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009, with MACC exempted through provisions under Subsection 1(5) of the Act.
Bahri said the government was focusing on the wrong issue and should instead look into further empowering the MACC. - FMT

---