MACC Chief Azam Baki: “Corrupt Offenders Should Be Declared Bankrupt to Stop Them Enjoying Stolen Wealth”

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 5: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has called for those found guilty of corruption to be declared bankrupt, saying the firm measure is necessary to prevent offenders from benefiting from stolen public funds.

Speaking at the opening of the International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), Azam said the proposal aligns with MACC’s intensified drive to recover misappropriated national assets.

“These offenders are stealing the wealth of the country. They must be punished, and the assets must be returned to the people,” he said. “I have stressed before that we should bankrupt them so they cannot enjoy what they have stolen.”

Azam added that efforts to track and reclaim public money and assets hidden domestically or abroad will be further strengthened next year, in line with the government’s commitment to curb leakages and combat corruption comprehensively.

He noted that public expectations are rising, pushing authorities to adopt more effective anti-graft strategies. “Outdated approaches must be transformed. Even methods used just a year or two ago may no longer be relevant,” he said.

Azam also emphasized upgrading MACC officers’ capabilities through modern investigative techniques and deeper cooperation with local and international agencies to trace and recover stolen assets.