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Akhbar Satar is an expert criminologist who holds many posts as well as credentials in the area of crimes and investigations. The former MACC Director who has more than 25 years experience in his field is now the Managing Director of Akhbar & Associates Sdn Bhd, where he leads a team of professionals in carrying out Due Diligence, Pre-employment Screening and Corporate Fraud Investigation.
As a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Akhbar has a wide knowledge in corruption, corporate fraud and white-collar crimes (forgery, cheating, criminal breach of trust and fraud) as well as crime prevention and formulation of anti fraud policies. He’s too all too familiar with interrogation techniques especially in reading body language and behavioural pattern of suspects.
During his 18-year service with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), he held various managerial and head of department posts including the Director of Training and State Director of ACA, Negeri Sembilan. In 2001, he went for an optional retirement to pursue his ambition to provide a professional fraud prevention service commercially and founded the Polygraph Science Academy Malaysia (PSAM) in 2003. Accredited by the American Polygraph Association (APA) and American Association of Police Polygraphists(AAPP), PSAM provides technical lie detection service and training. The school has trained local candidates as well as those from Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan.
A masters graduate in Criminal Justice (University of Detroit), Akhbar has also spoken in seminars and conventions held locally and overseas. He is a hands-on investigator and trainer in the field of fraud prevention spanning for more than 20 years to date.
Other posts and credentials Akhbar holds presently include and Director of Polygraph Science Academy Malaysia., Certified Polygraph Examiner, and also a full member of the American Polygraph Association. Akhbar is the President of the Malaysian Chapter of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Honorary Member of Livonia Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association, Michigan, Oakland Criminal Justice Association, Michigan and Wayne County Detective Association, Michigan, USA and Director of Centre for Fraud, HELP University.
Malaysian Digest caught up with Akhbar at his office recently where he enlighten us with the white-collar and corporate crimes as well as the recent state of affairs in Malaysian corruption.
MD: How accurate are polygraph tests and which organisations use them?
Akhbar: 98 percent. Most of the law enforcement uses it - MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency), Customs, ATM (The Royal Armed Force)...
MD: What is the state of Malaysia in terms of corruption. Is it getting worse?
We were ranked 43 in the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2007 but we’ve dropped to 47 in 2008 and now (this year) we’re ranked 56. I think it’s a big blow to the country’s image. We have to accept this statistic as it’s the only official parameter we can refer to.
Former MACC Director Akhbar Satar feels our drop in Corruption
Perceptions Index (CPI) is a big blow to the country's image.
MD: What is the scale of corruption among government officers? How rampant is it these days?
I think it’s getting worse based on the complaints I receive from private companies about the government sector. But it’s more rampant in the private sector as well. Studies show that 48 percent of companies in the private sector are involved in corruption. Everybody’s doing it because there’s lack of enforcement.
There’s a difference between being arrested and being charged. Another thing is when someone is being charged doesn’t mean he will be convicted. White-collar crimes are committed by rich people so they can hire good lawyers like Karpal Singh to help them avoid being convicted. The ones who get caught and goes to jail are the ones with no money (to hire good lawyers). So people who are well off have the advantage. With a good lawyer, half their battle is won.
Corruption is a very unique crime because it’s a win-win situation for both parties involved and it’s difficult to investigate. The investigator always have to be one step ahead. I’m helping a lot of the law enforcements and private sectors to curb corruption and fraud.
MD: Money politics. It’s no different from corruption is it?
Corruption is corruption whether it has anything to do with politics or not. Once you have received money and use it for your own gain it’s considered corrupt payment. In this world, no one gets money for free.
MD: White-collar crime and corporate crime are somehow interrelated. How would you define the two?
White collar crimes are committed by people with higher status but criminologists have now defined it as also constituting professionals with specialized expertise like computers so it’s not necessary involve high-ranking professionals but also those in the mid-level. There’s a lot of cases of IT professionals swindling millions.
As for corporate crimes, this involve those in the corporate sector where a person in charge of a company and they swindle money. With corruption and briberies, they involve two sectors: internal and external, so there’s a cohesion between the two. There must be someone in the inside. Another problem with corruption is it’s a win-win situation and it’s difficult to investigate.
For example, you come to see a mayor to propose a development project and offer him money in exchange for securing the contract. You will get the contract and you will get the money, so it’s a win-win situation for both parties.
More often than not, complaints will never be made unless if one party feel that he or she is losing out in the deal. Only in these instances that the cases would be reported to the authorities.
MD: Have there been cases that’s been reported by people who are not directly involved?
No. Here, we have been socially conditioned to avoid jaga tepi kain orang (mind other people‘s business) . In Sweden and Denmark they make it a point to jaga tepi kain orang. They would always report to the authorities whenever they see something is wrong.
Akhbar believes enhanced enforcement and integrity is key to curbing
corruption.
MD: Do you think it’s a cultural thing?
I think it is. Most people don’t want the hassle of going to court. They feel like they will get in trouble and be labelled as a bad person. In the west, people would get rewarded for doing their rightful duty of reporting corruption but it’s the contrary in Malaysia. If they report, others will see them as a bad person who cannot be trusted. This is the problem.
To get the evidence and witness to go against the guy is not easy either. Let’s say if we were to go to see a government officer and you know how much money I have brought and you see me handing the money to the officer then that would provide as a good evidence and witnesses. But how many people would want to report since you are my friend so you don’t want to get me in trouble.
MD: In such cases, would the authorities provide witnesses with protection?
They will protect you by not exposing your name and details but there are certain case where they need you to become witness in which you will be exposed. There’s nothing of such now but the government is introducing the witness protection program. The bill has been passed but I don’t think it has been implemented but I don’t know it implicates MACC or just the police.
MD: In Malaysia, politics is linked with business among other things like sports and the media. Do you think things would be more efficient in the said industries if politicians keep their hands off these industries and let the real professionals with real experience take care of these establishments/industries?
I believe so but if they (the politicians) are professional than it could be a good thing because they have connections and can easily get sponsors. But then again, I don’t think politicians have time to do these things. Nevertheless, as long as they come in to promote the sport and not for their own gain then it‘s okay. But majority of politicians are more interested in their political gain.
Even if it’s a real qualified professional the integrity must be there. There’s millions involved so if funds are not properly managed things can go haywire.
MD: Have there been any changes since ACA became MACC?
I think it’s the same. Salary only increased.
MD: How do you feel about the recent resignation of Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan as Chief Commissioner of the MACC?
I can’t comment on that.
MD: Okay. Then how do you feel about the newly appointed MACC Dato’ Abu Kassim Mohammed and his vow to improve MACC‘s image?
Dato’Abu has both public and private sector experience as well as good international contacts. He has good personality and is very clean. People should give him time and trust him. I have confidence that he can lead MACC well and get the job done. I believe, under him, MACC is in good hands.
MD: What is your reaction towards the unsolved case of Teoh Beng Hock’s death?
Don’t label MACC as bad just because of this one incident. Maybe there were a few problems at the time of questioning but we also have to be fair towards MACC; they are doing a job that they were entrusted to do.
MD: How do you feel about the prospect of restricting questioning sessions to be done only during office hours?
Restricting MACC officers from doing their job within working hours will only disrupt the investigation process and cause more problems. This is because witnesses will have the chance to dispose of statements and evidences, or even worse, disappear during the postponement of the questioning session.
MACC does not operate as an administrative body, instead, it’s a professional investigation agency that requires its officers to work 24-hours. They should be allowed to question witnesses thoroughly until it’s done.
Prominent investigation agencies like CIA, FBI and Scotland Yard themselves never practice investigations within office hours.
Also, in my 18 years experience with ACA, most witnesses from the public sector will do their best to avoid being questioned during office hours. They are busy in the morning and will only be available to be questioned in the evenings. There are also some who feel embarrassed and would sneak off to the ACA office after working hours top avoid being seen by a lot of people.
As a Managing Director of Akhbar & Associates Sdn Bhd, Akhbar leads
a team of professionals in carrying out Due Diligence, Pre-employment
Screening and Corporate Fraud Investigation.
MD: It seems like MACC will be exposing more and more people who are linked to the PKFZ scandal. Do you think, in cases with such magnitude, it’s possible for some people who have had their hands in the scandal to get away scot-free?
No. I think MACC is very serious investigating the case. After all, this case have been exposed to the public. There is no way to protect anyone involved.
Continue to second part
Akhbar: Enforcement Matters Most
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