World · Malaysia Bureau
MACC detention procedures were standard, former chief maintains
Ex-MACC chief Azam Baki has defended the agency's handling of a high-profile businessman, asserting that lock-up attire and handcuffs were routine procedural matters. He questioned whether the detention protocols genuinely violated constitutional equality guarantees.
LSN Malaysia ·
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki has pushed back against criticism of the agency's detention procedures, characterizing the use of lock-up uniforms and restraints as standard operational protocol.
Addressing concerns raised by a prominent businessman regarding his treatment during custody, Azam argued that such measures formed part of routine detention procedures rather than constituting exceptional circumstances warranting special scrutiny.
The ex-MACC chief further contended that the businessman failed to adequately articulate how the wearing of lock-up uniforms during detention breached Article 8(1) of the Malaysian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. Azam suggested that the connection between procedural detention practices and constitutional protections remained unclear in the businessman's arguments.
The matter has drawn attention to MACC's detention protocols and their alignment with constitutional safeguards. Azam's remarks appear aimed at reasserting the lawfulness of standard agency practices, though the underlying complaint suggests ongoing debate about the scope and application of constitutional protections in custodial settings.