Sutinah (second left) launches the MACC’s Facebook page, July 24, 2010. — Picture by Jack Ooi
SHAH ALAM, July 25 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is fighting back against harmful “gossip” about its work by launching its official Facebook page and Twitter micro-blogging account.
The national anti-graft body has come under sustained fire after its January 2008 start for what its detractors claim were a poor record of prosecution and ineffective fight against corruption.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Hajah Sutinah Sutan said yesterday that MACC had launched its Facebook page in order to repair negative public perception by providing “accurate information” about the anti-graft body.
“There is plenty of gossip and inaccurate information about SPRM (MACC)’s work. With this, we have the chance to give accurate information,” said Sutinah when launching the MACC Facebook page yesterday.
“I do not see that we are losing,” added Sutinah when asked if the MACC thought that it was losing the media battle on its increasingly dented image.
“People should fight corruption, not SPRM or its officers. With accurate information, there will not be any negative perception towards SPRM,” said Sutinah.
The MACC operation review panel claimed recently that the press had been unfair in its coverage of the anti-graft body and called for the media to protect the commission’s image instead to boost foreign direct investment.
MACC’s Facebook page has garnered about 4,100 fans in three months since its debut in the popular social networking site early May.
Many of the comments on MACC’s Facebook page appeared supportive of the anti-graft body, with some expressing their agreements with an Utusan Malaysia article posted by MACC titled “Isu Beng Hock terlalu dipolitikkan (Beng Hock issue overly politicised)”.
“People are saying that we are not transparent in our actions and that we are selective in our prosecutions,” said Sutinah, when asked to give examples of untrue “gossip” about MACC.
“But all of our actions are transparent,” she added.
Sutinah also cited five parliamentary bodies on graft that monitored MACC as evidence that there was check and balance on the anti-corruption body, adding that “There is nothing for us to hide.”
The deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) added that MACC had also launched a blog (www.ourdifferentview.com) and Twitter account (twitter.com/odvmacc) in late May this year, joining many Malaysian politicians who actively blog or tweet, such as DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
A year after the death of Teoh Beng Hock, MACC is still struggling in a seemingly losing battle to regain public confidence.
The 30-year-old political secretary to Selangor state councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah was found dead July 16 last year on a fifth-floor landing at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, nine floors below the MACC’s Selangor then headquarters.
He had been interrogated overnight by anti-graft officers probing claims his boss was misusing state funds.
On the anniversary of Teoh’s death, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed had pledged not to “cover up” the actions of anyone who may have been involved in causing the DAP political aide’s death.
However, MACC’s condolence statement to Teoh’s family had drawn heavy criticism because it was only available in Mandarin.
Beng Hock’s younger sister, Lee Lan, had also slammed Abu Kassim for his “insincere” effort.
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