logo
Azam Baki says royal assent for MACC reappointment an honour, vows to improve country's image amid public discontent

Azam Baki says royal assent for MACC reappointment an honour, vows to improve country's image amid public discontent

Malay Mail12-05-2025

PUTRAJAYA, May 12 – Tan Sri Azam Baki has today extended his gratitude to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim for consenting to his reappointment as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner for another year.
In a statement, Azam described the royal assent as an honour for both him and the commission.
'Fully aware of the duties and trust placed upon me, I will continue to lead MACC's efforts to eradicate all forms of corruption, abuse of power and misconduct in order to build a prosperous, just and harmonious nation,' he said.
He also thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the latter's trust and continued support.
He said the commission remained committed to improving Malaysia's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score and enhancing the country's reputation internationally.
Azam's new term will run from May 13, 2025 to May 12, 2026
The 62-year-old has held the position since March 9, 2020, succeeding Latheefa Koya, with previous one-year reappointments in May 2023 and May 2024.
His reappointment has since been met with criticism from some in the civil society, including from Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah who said the extension was 'unwelcome'.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Over 150,000 Visitors Expected At TVET Day, 5,000 Jobs On Offer
Over 150,000 Visitors Expected At TVET Day, 5,000 Jobs On Offer

Barnama

time3 hours ago

  • Barnama

Over 150,000 Visitors Expected At TVET Day, 5,000 Jobs On Offer

10/06/2025 05:24 PM PUTRAJAYA, June 10 (Bernama) -- The National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Day 2025 celebration is expected to attract over 150,000 visitors, with more than 5,000 job opportunities offered through career matching with employers from various strategic sectors, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. In a statement issued today after chairing the Special Coordination Meeting for National TVET Day 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister said the celebration brings together broad participation from various government agencies, TVET institutions, industries and the general public, aiming for a direct impact on human capital development and employment opportunities. The three-day event will begin tomorrow at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to officially launch it on Thursday. 'The official launch on June 12 is expected to include several strategic announcements related to the agenda of strengthening national TVET. Key focus areas will include efforts to encourage wider participation of TVET graduates in high-impact entrepreneurship sectors, in line with current economic needs. 'This step is hoped to further strengthen TVET's role as a driver of growth in high-potential sectors,' said Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development. With the theme "TVET: The Career of Choice", he said the celebration symbolises the MADANI government's commitment to making TVET a core pillar of national development and reinforces its dedication to mainstreaming the skills pathway as part of the country's progressive, inclusive and sustainable Malaysia MADANI aspirations. He said the event will be implemented comprehensively and with high impact, featuring various inclusive, interactive and strategic activities aimed at bringing the public closer to the world of TVET. According to him, the National TVET Day 2025 celebration will consist of four main segments, including the TVET Convention Hub, TVET Job Fair, and TVET Challenge. 'The celebration is expected to take place in a positive atmosphere, with growing public interest in the skills pathway,' he said.

Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar
Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar

Free Malaysia Today

time3 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar

Vilashini Somiah speaking at BBC's World Questions programme in Petaling Jaya. PETALING JAYA : A feminist scholar has called out the absence of labour, particularly that of women and migrant workers, in discussions around the US tariffs. Universiti Malaya's Vilashini Somiah, an anthropologist specialising in migration, gender and labour, said the current debate often focuses on geopolitics and corporate interests instead of the factory and construction workers who will feel the impact. 'We are so consumed with the conversation of companies. We're so consumed about the way America is looking at China and how China is looking at America and where all of us are in between in the Indo-Pacific,' she said during tonight's recording of BBC World Questions debate at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre. 'But the fact of the matter is, you can't move any of these things… if the cost of labour on invisible bodies, particularly, is not acknowledged.' Vilashini said the gendered and migrant dimensions of labour often go unmentioned in trade policies, as these perspectives were not seen as 'sexy' or powerful compared to hard diplomacy and economic strategy. 'These are people (holding up economies). These are your mothers, your sisters,' she added. US president Donald Trump introduced the tariff measures on April 3, imposing a 10% baseline levy on most trading partners and steeper duties on dozens of countries and blocs, including the EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, and China. Malaysia initially received a 24% tariff rate, excluding electronics, while regional neighbour Cambodia was slapped with a 49% tariff, the heaviest among all Southeast Asian countries. It was followed by Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), and Singapore (10%). Malaysia's exports in manufacturing and palm oil, sectors heavily reliant on migrant labour, were expected to feel the impact. However, the tariffs shook global markets, leading the White House to delay or soften some of the measures. Beyond trade diplomacy, deputy domestic trade and cost of living minister Fuziah Salleh said the government was studying how the US tariff package could affect Malaysian households. 'I have also asked for a study to be done on how it will affect the cost of living because that's basically within our purview,' she said.

Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril
Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril

Free Malaysia Today

time3 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril

Petronas president and group CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik Aziz said last week the company would cut about 10% of its workforce in a company-wide restructuring exercise. (Reuters pic) PETALING JAYA : Petronas' decision to lay off 5,000 workers is in line with the challenging global situation in the oil and gas industry, says a former economic director in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Shahril Hamdan also said Petronas's move was apt considering the national oil company's revenue per employee (RPE), which he said stood at RM6 million in 2015. 'The RPE of Petrobras is US$2 million to US$3 million… and Pertamina's is around US$1.5 million to US$2 million,' he said, referring to the state-owned oil companies of Brazil and Indonesia respectively. 'So there is a need for Petronas to be more optimal.' Shahril also said the public had to accept the fact that the oil and gas landscape had changed over the years. He said it was clear that Petronas – or any other oil and gas company – would have to evolve from the 1990s, when exploration costs were much lower. Shahril also said other large oil and gas companies had taken steps to reduce their workforce although their production levels might not have dipped. He said this was especially evident in the United States, which has seen a drop in oil and gas industry workers despite production still at a high level. 'However, the number of workers required has indeed decreased,' he said. 'So there is 'productivity gain', which is indeed normal in this industry.' A former Umno information chief, Shahril was an economic director in the PMO under former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Last Thursday, Petronas president and group CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik Aziz said the company would cut about 10% of its workforce in a company-wide restructuring exercise that was aimed at reducing costs due to falling crude prices. He said Petronas expects to reduce its headcount by more than 5,000 people and freeze hiring until December 2026. Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof later said Petronas's restructuring exercise was due to global challenges and was not linked to its dispute with Sarawak's state-owned gas aggregator, Petroleum Sarawak Bhd. Petronas has promised to support employees affected by the exercise, including by offering competitive separation packages.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store