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By Terence Fernandez

PETALING JAYA (March 10, 2010): Several Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers have been "re-assigned" from the various advisory and consultative panels as they were "stumbling blocks" to the process of making the MACC more credible and accountable to the people.

It is understood at least three senior officers have been replaced in some of the five panels, following observations by MACC commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed.

As the commission celebrates its first anniversary tomorrow, Abu Kassim has a long way to go to convince the public that the MACC is truly reformed from its days as the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).

Since he took over on Jan 1, Abu Kassim has been removing deadwood and "fighting fires" within the establishment in efforts to improve the battered image of the MACC, following the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock and numerous accusations of selective prosecution targeting Pakatan Rakyat representatives, say insiders.

"His actions in reassigning the officers as direct links between the MACC and the advisory panels are deemed necessary and part of the baby steps to reforms initiated by Abu Kassim," said a source.

"These officers were deemed as not cooperative or not on the same page with other members of the committees and had always given reasons why something cannot be done, rather than being facilitators to improving the image of the MACC," he said.

It is understood at least three officers from the "old school" have been replaced by younger MACC officials.

Abu Kassim assigned them to the panels to facilitate in carrying out suggestions or improving on proposals initiated by the 42 members of the five MACC bodies -- the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, the Special Committee on Corruption, the Complaints Committee, the Operations Review Panel, and the Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel.

Members include past and present members of parliament, retired decorated civil servants as well as lawyers and members of the private sector.

Abu Kassim, who was chairing several meetings yesterday in preparation for the commission's first annual report which will be submitted to cabinet for tabling in parliament, could not be reached by press time.

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