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Malaysian PM’s war on corruption hits snag as top political secretary quits
The senior aide allegedly demanded bribes in the form of home renovations, a massage chair and washing machines
Joseph Sipalan3:59pm, 26 Nov 2025
Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin resigned on Tuesday. Photo: Handout
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s anti-graft drive has suffered a setback after a senior aide resigned over corruption claims, piling pressure on a leader already accused of abusing power and putting his ruling party at risk of rupture.
Anti-corruption authorities previously mounted a high-profile crackdown against two-time former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, his family and close associates – long seen as untouchables – as part of Anwar’s pledge to dismantle top-level corruption under his watch.
But since he declared war on corruption in 2023, Anwar’s campaign has hit numerous snags, fuelling doubts over his ability to eradicate a scourge that has cost Malaysia billions of dollars.
Anwar’s senior political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, announced on Tuesday that he had resigned to “defend myself” against attacks linked to issues that could “harm the image of the government”.
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Shamsul did not specify the nature of the attacks, but his resignation came just hours after claims surfaced that he had allegedly received more than 600,000 ringgit (US$144,600) in bribes from a businessman linked to a mining scandal in Sabah state.
On Wednesday, Anwar said he had accepted Shamsul’s resignation and stressed that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) “is free” to conduct an immediate investigation without any external interference.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says there will be no interference into a probe by the country’s anti-corruption agency, which will be interviewing his former aide Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. Photo: Handout
“The Madani government remains firm on its principles of transparency and integrity, and will give space for the investigation process as guided by the law,” the prime minister said in a statement, invoking his administration’s slogan of a civilised government.
Earlier on Tuesday, independent news outlet Malaysiakini published a report quoting businessman Albert Tei as saying he had compiled a dossier of more than 300 pages detailing purported demands made by Shamsul, including renovations to two properties and items such as leather furniture, washing machines, a clothes dryer and a massage chair.
Tei claimed Shamsul had offered to help him recoup the money he had spent on Sabah politicians to secure mining licences in the state, according to Malaysiakini.
Tei, who is at the centre of a mining scandal that has implicated Sabah caretaker Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and his administration, also alleged that Shamsul had asked for more than 350,000 ringgit (US$84,300) in cash between November 2023 and April 2024.
On Wednesday, the MACC said it would launch an immediate investigation, including recording statements from both Shamsul and Tei.
“The MACC will also summon relevant parties to gather the necessary evidence,” the agency said in a statement.
Anwar’s assurances of an unfettered investigation rang hollow with some members of his own People’s Justice Party, however, with many already upset over an earlier controversy involving his daughter’s elevation to deputy president following an internal party poll in May – a result critics denounced as nepotistic.
“Thinking aloud this morning; I bought my own washing machine and dryer. Also my own furniture and paid for my own renovations. I also don’t own a massage chair,” PKR lawmaker Wong Chen wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.
The latest allegations surfaced almost a week after news broke that another of the prime minister’s political secretaries had issued letters of support for contractors involved in a hospital project. Anwar said on Friday that he had delivered a “stern warning” to the aide over the matter.
James Chin, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania, told This Week in Asia: “Most of the middle class think corruption is one of those features in Malaysian politics that you cannot hope to get rid of, only hope to control. But with his No 1 political adviser caught up in this, I don’t know how he is going to defend it.”
Takiyuddin Hassan, the parliamentary opposition chief whip, said the MACC must immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the latest claims, given the alleged involvement of a senior official close to the prime minister.
“Otherwise, it carries major implications that could defeat all of the government’s initiatives and pledges to combat corruption, abuse of power and money politics,” Takiyuddin said in a statement.
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