MACC needs to be independent, provide clear guidelines - Tuan Ibrahim

SEREMBAN - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) needs to act independently, especially in issues involving public disputes related to elements of corruption.

Pas Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man insisted that the agency be stricter so that people did not lose faith in the anti-corruption institution.

"That's why people dispute (Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement).

"I don't want to dispute MACC's statement, but for us, there needs to be a guide on what is and is not allowed.

"It should not be allowed for a moment, but (when) the opposition provides buses, it is not allowed, whereas this directly involves money.

"In the Kuala Terengganu election results, this kind of thing is considered wrong by the court," he told reporters when met at the Paroi State Assembly talk on Sunday.

The Kubang Kerian Member of Parliament said this in response to MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki's statement that there was no element of corruption in Zahid's speech in Terengganu last Friday.

Previously, the media reported that the MACC found that giving a grant worth RM350,000 by the government to the youth of Terengganu was not illegal or corrupt because, as a government, it had the right to provide initiatives it deemed appropriate to the people.

Zahid's announcement received various reactions, especially from politicians including the former Umno Youth Leader Khairy Jamaluddin and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Meanwhile, regarding the party's decision not to list Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz as a candidate in the state election, he said that the former Mursyidul Am Pas's son did not want to be involved or contest this time.

"He himself said he didn't want to contest, so the party has made a decision (that is) the decision that he doesn't want to contest remains.

"He wants to focus on his father's (the late Tan Sri Nik Abdul Aziz) school. Personally, I met him yesterday (Saturday) when I went to visit him and his decision remains (not to compete)," he said.