The criticism landed, but Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali has not blinked. 

The federal minister, who holds the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living portfolio and Papar MP, is under scrutiny for his board role in Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd — and until recently, in Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd.

He hasn’t responded to the claims. Frankly, he doesn’t need to.

At the heart of the conversation is a legal grey zone — one that doesn’t disqualify a sitting MP from holding a board position in a government-linked company, but still makes civil society watchdogs wince.

The allegations were first aired by Bersatu Youth Sabah and the lesser-known Sabah Economic Empowerment Network (SEEN), who accused Armizan of a conflict of interest. 

They pointed to possible breaches of parliamentary ethics and urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate.

But here’s the catch: Article 48(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution, which outlines disqualification criteria for MPs, only applies to those holding an “office of profit” under the government. 

That’s defined narrowly under Article 160, mostly covering judges, civil servants, and statutory commission heads. 

GLC board members don’t make the cut.

So legally, there’s no foul.

“GLCs have separate legal personalities,” said Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi. 

“Their employees are not in the service of the Federation, and the constitutional safeguards — or penalties — don’t apply.”

That’s the letter of the law. But the spirit? That’s another story.

“For Parliament to function well, legislators need to be independent of external pressure — including the temptations the Executive can offer,” Shad added, with emphasis.

Civil society groups have been sounding the alarm on this for years.

For instance, the CSO Platform for Reform, a coalition of over 60 NGOs, said in a 2023 policy brief that GLC appointments are being used as political currency — attractive to politicians not just for prestige, but for the perks.

“These high-ranking positions offer substantial benefits… The executive’s dominant role in appointments undermines checks and balances,” it warned.

The coalition also noted that GLCs wield massive economic power — but often operate without transparency. That cocktail, they say, breeds inefficiency and the risk of politicisation.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has maintained that politicians can hold GLC roles — as long as they’re qualified. 

But financial institutions regulated by Bank Negara are off-limits. Armizan’s positions do not fall into that category.

He quietly resigned from the SMM board after being made a full minister in September 2023. But he remains listed as a director in Common Tower Technologies, and the issue has not appeared to ruffle any feathers in Cabinet.

There’s no evidence of corruption. No clear breach of law. No parliamentary motion in sight.

But for governance advocates, the silence is part of the problem.

The Armizan episode may not result in resignations or reprimands. But underscores an enduring challenge: a governance framework that leaves too much to interpretation — and too little to accountability. – April 4, 2025