KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 15): DAP national adviser Lim Guan Eng has called for a specific motion to be tabled in Parliament to debate the recurring shareholding allegations involving Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
In a media statement Sunday, Lim drew a direct parallel between current allegations and the 2022 shareholding scandal, and urged the government to allow a formal debate before the current parliamentary session concludes on March 3, 2026.
Lim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bagan, reiterated his support for the position taken by the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council on Jan 12, 2022. At the time, the council — comprising top leaders including PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, now prime minister — called for Azam to be suspended pending an independent investigation into his ownership of millions of shares in Gets Global Bhd and Excel Force MSC Bhd.
Others who signed the statement included Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Upko president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
"I stand by the media statement issued by the PH Presidential Council in 2022. We urged for the chief commissioner to be suspended to make way for an independent probe. Today, we are seeing a similar controversy resurface," Lim said.
The latest outcry follows a Bloomberg report, citing Companies Commission of Malaysia records, that stated Azam held 17.7 million shares in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd (KL:VELOCITY). The controversy hinges on a 2024 government circular, which stipulates that civil servants may only hold shares in Malaysian-incorporated companies if holdings do not exceed 5% of the paid-up capital or RM100,000 in value, whichever is lower.
Lim stressed that the Public Service Department must provide a transparent clarification on whether these holdings breached administrative rules.
"This is not just about technical shareholding; it is about the integrity and credibility of the nation's premier anti-graft agency. We need a clean, professional and independent leadership to restore public confidence in the MACC," he added.
Azam has previously denied any wrongdoing, saying he currently holds zero shares in any company. He also said previous transactions were conducted transparently, as he had declared them via the Human Resource Management Information System. He acknowledged he owned the Velocity Capital shares, saying he bought them through personal savings and pension, and that he had sold them in 2025.
He has also initiated legal action against Bloomberg to seek damages, slamming its report as "libellous". In response, Bloomberg News has said it stands by its reporting.
The police have started a criminal probe into the shareholding controversy after receiving a report on the matter Friday. Investigations are centred on the publication of the article by the news agency that is suspected of containing defamatory statements about Azam.
Calls for Azam to be placed on garden leave as task force probes allegations
The government has also established a special investigation committee to look into the shareholding allegations, headed by Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar. Findings and recommendations would be submitted to the prime minister "and the relevant disciplinary authority".
There is growing pressure from civil society groups and lawmakers for Azam to be placed on garden leave immediately. But Anwar on Friday said there was no immediate need to do so, promising investigations would be conducted openly and transparently without protecting anyone.
The G25 group of retired senior civil servants and various MPs, however, insists that placing Azam on garden leave would be prudent, to prove that the government is taking the allegations seriously while the task force investigates the matter.
G25 also objected to the attorney general chairing the special investigation committee, warning that such an arrangement creates a significant perception of conflict of interest.
"This investigation must not only be fair, but be clearly seen to be independent of the executive branch. Public confidence would be better served if the task force were to be chaired by a retired senior judge or an equally independent and respected figure with no direct reporting line within the current administrative hierarchy," it said in a statement on Saturday.