KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 -- Attempts to distort public perception and undermine institutions are emerging as a key challenge in Malaysia's fight against corruption.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki said the media now plays a critical role in countering such narratives.

"Those implicated in wrongdoing are increasingly seeking to 'neutralise' their offences by shaping public opinion and casting doubt on enforcement agencies.

"They create doubt, influence public perception, and repeat unfounded claims until they appear as truth, while factual information is drowned out," he said at the MACC's sixth media appreciation event last night.

Azam warned that sustained attacks on anti-corruption institutions...