PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has stood his ground.
In breaking his silence following the recent allegation levelled against him, he said he is not a shareholder of any company.
He said he did not commit any offence involving the purchase of stock market shares in 2015.
When speaking at a highly-anticipated press conference at the MACC headquarters here today, Azam said he does not owe anyone any explanation when it came to the allegation against him, adding that his only responsibility was to explain himself before the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB).
"I don't owe anyone any explanation about what actually happened back in 2015. However, as I've explained to the board members, my stock market account, at that time, was used by my brother Nasir to purchase shares.
"After that, in the same year, those shares were transferred to his own stock market account, when he got his own account.
"I don't have any pecuniary benefit or personal interest in the purchases made (by my brother) in 2015," he said, clarifying his role which was recently exposed by a former member of the MACC Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel, Professor Edmund Terence Gomez.
Gomez made the allegations via his resignation letter that was uploaded on social media.
In elaborating his stand, Azam said in his 37-year career in the country's anti-graft body, he has made many friends as well as enemies.
He said the baseless accusation may be a way to tarnish his image and reputation.
Azam said the allegation levelled by certain parties about there being a conflict of interest on his part in the shared stock account was completely baseless.
"The shares were bought through the open market by my brother using his financing and the company shares he bought have nothing to do with me or the MACC investigation.
"I don't see it as an issue to allow my brother to use my account to buy shares. If it is an offence, please tell me it is an offence," Azam said.
Earlier in the same press conference, ACAB chairman Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang cleared Azam of any wrongdoing in relation to the 2015 allegation.
He said the board was satisfied with the answers provided when Azam was told to explain the matter to the ACAB's five-man panel on Nov 24.
#kw: PUTRAJAYA, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), chief commissioner, Azam Baki , purchase, stock, 2015