KUALA LUMPUR:The MACC directive for accused persons (OKT) to wear the orange shirt is to differentiate the people detained by the commission from those detained by other enforcement agencies.

MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said for example OKT under the MACC can be identified through the wearing of orange shirts while OKT under the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) are dressed in purple.

He said without the uniform it would also make it difficult for MACC to identify the OKT if any of them fled.

"Recently, the MACC made arrests of up to seven people. Imagine if they did not wear orange clothes, we would not be able identify MACC OKT especially if there was a remand of OKT by the police simultaneously.

"So, if the OKT detained by police and MACC are mixed up or disappears, who are going to be held responsible? " he said in an MACC interview entitled 'MACC Empowerment and Anti-Corruption Efforts' on radio MACC.fm yesterday.

Azam said this when asked to comment on why the MACC OKT should wear orange shirts and not in other colours.

"The wearing of orange shirts for OKTs is managed by the MACC Security Division subject to the MACC Act 2009 apart from also distinguishing those detained by other agencies," he said.

Azam also leave it to the discretion of the investigating officer for OKTs to wear the orange shirt.

"It also depends on the case because there are cases where the OKTs need to wear the orange shirt and some that do not require them to do so," he said, stressing that wearing orange clothes is also to ensure the safety of OKT and MACC officers.