By P Ramasamy

GEORGETOWN, Malaysia--Azam Baki, the chief commissioner of the MACC, is being trapped by quicksand.

The more he tries to prove his innocence, the more he sinks in the quicksand.

I am not sure whether he realises it or not, his struggles to leap out of this entrapment seems fruitless.

Not only are there calls for him to step down but the urgency for high powered investigation has become more than urgent.

On top of this there is a planned demonstration calling for his arrest.

The decision of the Security Commission (SC) that it could not establish whether Azam had breached the regulation on investment in shares and whether it was wrong to purchase shares on behalf of his brother have raised questions about the impartiality of the members of the SC board.

There are rumours that the SC is under pressure to withhold its investigation against Azam and that some members of the board might be investigated by the MACC itself.

First it was the MACC’s advisory board that sought to protect Azam even though some of the members changed their mind by putting the blame on the chairman.

Some ministers tried to say that Azam might not have committed any wrong doings.

It was a typical case of “you scratch my back, I scratch your back”.

I really wonder whether Azam or the MACC had done any past favours to them.

Then there was a futile attempt by some MACC to come to the defence of their boss, Azam, perhaps on sentimental grounds.

Prime Minister Ismail Saberi Yaacob seems to be in no hurry to establish an investigation panel that would unequivocally establish whether Azam’s innocence or guilt.

The question is: why is Ismail sitting on this matter of national importance.

This has nothing to do with the MOU with the opposition or it is about danger to his term in office.

It is about the allegations against  a top crime buster in corruption.

Failing to act decisively sends a wrong message to those in the public service.

Even Azam had exhausted the appeal to the Yang Dipertuan Agung, an indication of how desperate he was.

In my earlier writings, I did not put much weight on the SC inquiry; I knew it was a mere feeble inquiry as nothing much could be expected of this.

In fact, I  am vindicated by the SC’s inconclusiveness on Azam.

The whole country awaits the decision of Ismail.

Why is he procrastinating on the matter remains to be seen.

Procrastination is not going to resolve the problem or absolve Azam from his supposed misdeeds.

The clock is ticking, investigation or not, Azam is fast sinking in the quicksand.

His desperation obviously is not helping him to get out of the quagmire.

As for Ismail, he might be accused of the apocryphal rumour of not doing  anything for the country.