MACC warns that viral social media judgments threaten the integrity of complex corruption investigations, which rely on secrecy and evidence.
GENTING HIGHLANDS: The “social media court” is now the biggest challenge to the integrity of corruption investigations.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said the digital era allows unverified allegations to go viral within minutes.
This creates a public court that passes premature judgment while probes are still gathering evidence. He said the commission faces accusations of protecting certain parties if it does not act immediately.
Conversely, it is labelled as selective or politically motivated when it takes firm, lawful action. “The reality is that every action taken by the MACC is based on evidence, the law and established procedures,” Ahmad Khusairi said.
He was speaking at a journalism workshop on understanding the MACC’s role here today. He explained that such public perceptions pose significant operational challenges.
Corruption investigations often require surprise and strict confidentiality, especially in complex, multi-party cases. Without secrecy, suspects may flee, collude, or tamper with evidence.
“In corruption cases, both parties often stand to gain. It is not like other crimes where there are clear victims,” he added. He said probes thus require comprehensive financial analysis, asset examination, and network profiling.
Ahmad Khusairi acknowledged that ethical investigative journalism has been crucial in exposing power abuses. He noted it has sometimes even prompted official MACC investigations.
However, he cautioned that rushed reporting based on unverified sources can damage reputations and disrupt justice. He said the MACC values every complaint and report it receives.
This reflects ongoing public trust in the institution. “Our responsibility is to ensure that every piece of information is assessed professionally,” he stated.
He affirmed that every enforcement action is taken strictly based on facts and the law.
