KUALA LUMPUR (July 21): Tan Sri Azam Baki, the former anti-graft chief, has denied any role in a contract worth RM178.29 million awarded to a company linked to his brother, the New Straits Times reported.

Azam, the former chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), told the newspaper that he has no knowledge of the matter and his brother’s business affairs had nothing to do with him.

“It is his business,” Azam was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times. “So does this mean whoever is associated with me is going to be questioned? I have retired and it is up to the Transport Ministry to award the project to his company.”

Azam was responding to an article published in the latest The Edge Malaysia weekly about the contract to develop and operate the road charge and vehicle entry permit system at the Malaysia-Singapore border awarded to Integriti Padu Sdn Bhd.

Integriti Padu, which was incorporated 18 years ago, is 34%-owned by executive chairman Nasir Baki, the brother of Azam who stepped down from the MACC in May.

The report also comes amid heightened scrutiny on Azam following a Bloomberg report on his shareholding in financial services firm Velocity Capital Partner Bhd (KL:VELOCITY), which allegedly breached civil service rules on share ownership.

A three-member special investigation committee led by Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar was subsequently formed to investigate the matter, with its findings later presented to the Cabinet. The findings have not been made public and no action has been announced to date.

Authorities are also looking into allegations that MACC officials colluded with a group of businessmen dubbed “corporate mafia” to intimidate executives and take over their companies. Azam has denied both allegations.

Nasir was also snagged in an earlier controversy in 2022 when securities regulator investigated Azam for his share trading. Azam explained then that his share trading account was used by Nasir to purchase shares in 2015 in potential violation of securities laws.

However, the Securities Commission Malaysia said evidence gathered in its inquiry showed that Azam is the named account holder and had control of the account. No action were also taken following the revelation.