BERSIH: Welcomes PM's Statement on MACC and AG

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) applauds the statement by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that he is receptive to placing the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) under Parliament and the appointment process of its chief to be vetted by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).

The Prime Minister said he ‘has no objection’ to reform the appointment process – the mechanism of which has been suggested in detail by various bodies including BERSIH, IDEAS, and Transparency International-Malaysia.

We understand that any reform mechanism will go through the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) and be deliberated by the select committee, and hope that it will be done in a transparent manner inclusive of participation by civil society.

We also welcome the Prime Minister saying that he “agrees” that the attorney-general should be separated from the public prosecutor. This separation, as well as the reforms to the MACC chief appointment process, must be expedited to strengthen institutional autonomy and dispel perceptions of ‘politically-motivated charges’ brought against former prime ministers and opposition MPs.

Lastly, we commend the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul’s initiatives to empower Parliament, particularly on suggesting for special select committees on the appointments of key positions in government agencies such as MACC and the Election Commission (EC).