PUTRAJAYA: The draft of the much-awaited Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) bill has been sent for printing.

Anti-Corruption Agency deputy director-general Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed said it would take a few weeks before the draft could be distributed to parliamentarians.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is expected to table the bill for its first reading in Parliament early next month.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said the MCAC law would replace the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

Abdullah had also said the parliamentary session would be extended to Dec 18 to debate the bill, which included provisions for the setting up of an Anti-Corruption Advisory Board and a Special Committee on Corruption.
The advisory board and special committee would consist of non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians and ACA officers.

Their role is to monitor investigation procedures to make them more transparent.

In line with the move, the agency is also expected to recruit more than 1,000 officers to facilitate reinforcement.

The agency's five-year plan includes employing some 5,000 officers from various backgrounds, such as engineers, auditors and accountants, and other law enforcement officers.