A top Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer today lamented the political polarisation of corruption investigations by both sides of the political divide, which often results in the corrupt being defended and the anti-graft body demonised for trying to do its job.

"In Malaysia, if we investigate a politician, the entire party will support the culprit.

"And the culprit becomes (the) hero, while MACC becomes (the) barua (running dog)," MACC's deputy chief commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull said in an official video uploaded by the commission on YouTube.

Shukri contended that members of the public and political parties should support MACC in any corruption investigation as it would remove a "cancer" that is destroying both society and the political parties themselves.

"When we investigate the individual... the public should and must support MACC.

"You know why? Because we try to take it out, bring out all this stuff from the party. If you keep it, it is like cancer, it will destroy the party, spoil the party," he opined further.

However, Shukri said, it was probably good for MACC to be accused of being a government running dog or opposition tool by the respective political sides as it showed that the anti-graft body was really impartial and performed its duty, regardless of political lines.

But he added that such rhetoric was not good for Malaysia in its efforts to eradicate corruption.

He pointed out that the MACC has got itself into hot water with political supporters in a number of cases when it investigated Umno, PKR and DAP-linked politicians.

In some instances, it led to supporters even holding street demonstrations.

Shukri said this was one of the challenges that the commission faced in doing its duty to bring the corrupt to justice.