by ANIS HAZIM / pic by TMR FILE

ACADEMIAN Dr Edmund Terence Gomez (picture) has resigned from his position as a member of the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

In his resignation letter to MACC panel chairman Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah, Gomez said his resignation was in protest to Borhan’s inaction as a panel chairman.

“My reason for submitting this resignation is my grave concern that you, as chairman of the CCPP, have not convened a meeting to discuss a critical issue of national interest that I had brought to your attention one month ago,” stated Gomez on Monday.

Gomez in the letter said he had raised two issues in regards to the allegation against MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki.

“When these reports were brought to my attention, I wrote to you on Nov 12, 2021, asking that you convene a meeting of our CCPP to discuss this matter,” he said.

According to Gomez, Borhan had responded immediately stating that he would call for a meeting and ask the MACC’s administrative staff to organise it.

Gomez also said he had submitted his concerns regarding the issues for the second time on Nov 26 and Dec 14 to Borhan, however, there was no response from the chairman.

“I mentioned that I had not received your response to my second letter, in spite of the urgent matter at hand that we, the members of the CCPP, had to discuss.

“I then stated that if I did not hear from you that I would have to submit my resignation from the CCPP,” he said.

As there was still no response after two weeks, Gomez had no choice but to submit his resignation, which should be seen as a protest at the delay by Borhan as a CCPP chairman.

“I find this delay to convene a meeting unconscionable, even extremely irresponsible.

“Moreover, by not acting on these reports involving the sitting chief commissioner of the MACC, this inaction by us, advisors to this anti-corruption institution, constitutes a serious dereliction of duty to the nation,” he added.

Gomez also wrote on this matter to MACC’s Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang, but there was also no response from him.

“It may well be that he has not received these letters, but I have been assured by another member of the board that this is not the case.

“I am also extremely disappointed that the advisory board has not met to discuss this matter, even after it was brought up in Parliament on Dec 14 and widely reported in the media,” he further said.

Gomez noted that Azam has not made any public statement about the two reports by the Independent News Service, nor has he responded to public statements made by parliamentarians about his business interests.

On Oct 26, Azam was reported to have links to several companies which sparked a conflict of interest situation regarding his position as a MACC chief commissioner, as reported by Independent News Service based on Edisi Siasat’s blog.

Previously, Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa also raised in Parliament the allegation that Azam owns close to two million shares in public-listed companies, according to MalaysiaKini.

In the report, Sivarasa claimed that Azam owned 930,000 shares in Gets Global Bhd in 2015 and expanded to 1.3 million shares in 2016.

Hence, this could be a serious offence as public servants are barred from owning more than RM100,000 value of shares in any company and are also required to declare all their assets to their heads of departments under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

Meanwhile, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air described Gomez’s resignation letter as shocking and worrying, and urged for an urgent investigation on Azam’s alleged wrongdoings.

Pejuang information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin said Azam should also be required to go on garden leave pending investigation.

“This is the only way to instil confidence back in the people knowing that proper checks and balances exist in the system.

“The MACC is supposed to eradicate corruption and protect whistleblowers who put their heads out to help curb these disgusting offences. This includes the offences that happen internally within the commission,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Ulya Aqamah expressed his party’s exasperation that those fighting corruption are forced to resign, while those alleged of corruption are still strutting around delivering keynote addresses in international conferences “scott-free”.

“If the MACC is not to be trusted, who else can the rakyat put their trust in?” he questioned in the statement.