KUALA LUMPUR – The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) has criticised the government’s alleged misuse of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), accusing it of using the agency to target political figures and engaging in a “public hunt” for James Chai, who is a former aide to Pandan MP, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, Bersih expressed grave concern over what it called the recent shift in the MACC’s direction, accusing the commission of diverting from its primary mandate of tackling corruption.
“The publication of a ‘search notice’ detailing the address of his family home—where his elderly parents live—despite Chai’s claims that he was never directly contacted for any investigation, amounts to deliberate shaming designed to create a false perception of guilt,” Bersih said.
The electoral watchdog further condemned the notice as an act of “institutional doxxing aimed at tarnishing reputations,” insisting that it did not follow standard investigative procedures.
“The use of the MACC to target political staffers under the guise of ‘national interest’, while ignoring issues at the top of the commission itself, is a betrayal of the Reformasi spirit.”
The group also expressed concern over what it claimed were efforts to intimidate journalists investigating the matter. Rather than addressing the allegations directly, authorities were said to have targeted media personnel, framing investigative journalism as a “foreign plot.”
“It’s a tactic taken straight from the Najib Razak era playbook during the 1MDB scandal,” the statement noted.
Bersih highlighted the irony that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the current government, has been accusing international media of interference, while dismissing reports of corruption as a conspiracy to undermine the administration.
“To dismiss credible reports of corruption as a plot to topple the government is a blatant attempt to deceive the rakyat,” the group added.
In response to what it termed as systemic failures, Bersih, alongside other civil society groups, reiterated a series of demands. These included the resignation of MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, whose continued tenure, Bersih argued, was damaging the commission’s reputation.
“His continued presence as Chief Commissioner is indefensible and continues to damage the reputation of the MACC,” the statement said.
Bersih also called for urgent reforms to the process of appointing the MACC Chief Commissioner, advocating for stronger parliamentary oversight. In addition, the group proposed the establishment of an independent panel or Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the allegations, including claims of a “corporate mafia” within the commission.
“Stop the harassment of James Chai and journalists: Cease the use of ‘Notice to Locate’ as a tool for public shaming and end all forms of intimidation against the media,” Bersih concluded its statement.
The group underscored that the Anwar Ibrahim-led government cannot claim to be fighting corruption while shielding top enforcement officials from the scrutiny it selectively imposes on others. – March 5, 2026