The Malaysian Bar has welcomed the appointment of Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman as Chief Commissioner of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), but warned that leadership changes alone will not restore public trust in the embattled agency.
In a statement issued Monday, the Bar called for "wider institutional reforms" including operational independence from political interference, transparent appointment processes, and stronger legal protections for MACC officers who investigate high-level corruption.
Abdul Halim, a career civil servant and former Attorney General's Chambers prosecutor, takes over an agency whose credibility has been battered by its handling—or non-handling—of major scandals. The MACC was widely criticized for slow-walking investigations into the 1MDB theft, delaying action against politically connected figures, and failing to secure convictions in several high-profile cases.
"The Malaysian Bar acknowledges the new appointment," the statement read, "but emphasizes that institutional independence cannot be achieved through personnel changes alone. Structural reforms are essential."
Specifically, the Bar is calling for:
• A genuinely independent oversight board to appoint and evaluate MACC leadership, insulated from executive branch influence
• Budget autonomy so the MACC does not depend on the Prime Minister's Department for funding
• Legal protections for MACC officers investigating politically sensitive cases, including immunity from dismissal without cause
• Prosecution authority for the MACC itself, rather than relying on the Attorney General's Chambers, which critics say creates a conflict of interest when government officials are implicated
The Bar's skepticism is grounded in history. Malaysia has cycled through multiple MACC chiefs over the past decade, each promising reform, none delivering systemic change. , who led the commission from 2019 to 2020, was sidelined after pursuing cases against ruling coalition figures. Her successor, , faced his own ethics scandal over undeclared share ownership, yet remained in office until his recent departure.
