Azam could be in contempt of Parliament for declining special meeting, says MPs

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PETALING JAYA: Four MPs from the nine-member Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) have accused Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki of being in contempt of Parliament following the indefinite postponement of a special assembly wanting into the stock-trading scandal.

The 4 – Sepanggar MP Datuk Azis Jamman, Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong and Selayang MP William Leong – mentioned it was unacceptable for Azam to say no testifying earlier than the PSC for Agencies beneath the Prime Minister’s Department.

“The difficulty ought to haven’t been trivialised by a letter from Parliament, stating that the scheduled assembly needed to be postponed because the matter needed to be referred to the Parliament Legal Advisor’s Office.

“Matters comparable to reference phrases and the witness record can be mentioned and determined upon,” added the 4.

The 4 additionally mentioned the PSC’s obligation is to find out whether or not there are efficient mechanisms in relation to investigations and disciplinary motion on a difficulty.

“Aside from that, the Parliament’s prerogative to summon witnesses to testify is in line with the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 and Azam is clearly in contempt of Parliament when he blatantly disregards Parliamentary calls.”

The 4 additionally cited the PSC for businesses beneath the prime minister’s division chairman Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman’s choice to postpone the special assembly, and acknowledged their objection towards Abdul Latiff, who’s Kuala Krai MP.

“According to him (Abdul Latiff), Azam had responded, saying that the special assembly went towards Parliament’s Standing Orders.

“Among points raised by Azam was that filed a civil go well with for defamation towards a journalist and subsequently nobody is allowed to debate info of the case or to touch upon it, because it could be subjudice.”

The 4 additionally mentioned that Azam had acknowledged that the Securities Commission (SC) and the MACC’s complaints committee was at the moment investigating the matter.

“Azam claimed that if his nature and conduct had been to be mentioned, then it ought to have been introduced by means of a Parliament movement, not by means of PSC,” they mentioned.

“We don’t agree with the reasons given by Azam,” added the 4.

The controversy concerned substantial quantities of shares purchased from Gets Global Bhd and Excel Force MSC Bhd between 2015 and 2016 when Azam was the MACC director of investigations.



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