MCA Youth proposes changes to MACC Act

MCA Youth is proposing changes to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 in an effort to strengthen the MACC in combating corruption.

MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon said the MCA Legal Bureau felt that changes needed to be made to the Act to turn the MACC into a more powerful independent body.

"After visiting MACC on January 15, we studied the Act with a view of making it more stringent," he told reporters after chairing the MCA Youth meeting here on Thursday.

He said the proposed amendments included appointment and dismissal of MACC chief commissioner and the setting up the Anti-Corruption Service Commission on appointments and promotion without having to go through the Public Service Commission to recruit staff.

MCA Youth also proposes that minimum penalties to be set higher while the MACC should be empowered to investigate anyone suspected of having extraordinary wealth without having to wait for complaints, he added.

Chong said with the amendments, the appointment, transfer and dismissal of MACC chief commissioner should be similar in nature to that of attorney-general and judges by a federal tribunal and not by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of prime minister.

He said MCA Youth would also meet the Malaysian Bar Council next Monday to get its views on the proposed amendments before handing over the proposals to

members of Parliament.