MACC powers to be increased???

I find it strange that the PM is talking about increasing the powers of the MACC. My understanding is that the MACC Act already provides the MACC which such extraordinary and draconian powers unavailable to most enforcement agencies in the world.

In July of 2011, a Royal Commission of Inquiry called for a proper system of checks and balances to be installed to prevent abuse of power by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers.It said this was necessary as testimony provided by MACC officers had shown a “strong sense of arrogance” that they were accountable to no one while exercising their power under the MACC Act.

It specifically referred to their “distorted interpretation” of Section 31(3) which allows an officer to search premises without prior authorisation on the belief that a delay could result in destruction or loss of evidence.

It therefore recommended that the law be amended to prevent further abuse and misinterpretation as well as provide better protection to witnesses and suspects.

This included a proposal to delete Section 5(6) which confers a deputy public prosecutor's powers on the MACC's chief commissioner.

It suggested the clause “or an officer of the commission of the rank of chief senior asst comm or above as authorised by the public prosecutor” found in several sections of the Act including Section 31(3) be deleted as well.

So before the PM or anybody else talks about increasing the powers of the MACC, can we first clear up its abuses and put in place the necessary check and balances.

As it is we still don't really know what happened to to Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed and how to they came to be found dead after a visit to the MACC.