PKR top guns were not aware of former party member Latheefa Koya’s appointment as the new chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Likewise, some ministers were also caught by surprise by the appointment.

PKR deputy president and Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said he was not aware of the matter as he was on a pilgrimage and had missed last week’s cabinet meeting.

“I’m quite sure her appointment is based on merit because Latheefa has been in the legal service for decades.

“I agree that MACC should be an independent body and it should be allowed to conduct the whole investigation in a very professional manner.”

“That is the reason I said the appointment of Latheefa Koya (is) based on merit.“

Asked if there is a conflict of interest as Latheefa was a PKR member when she was appointed to head the anti-graft body, Azmin said the human rights lawyer has not been active in the party for “quite some time” as she has been busy with her legal career.

Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he, too, was surprised by news of the appointment.

“We were not (aware),” he told reporters at the prime minister’s Raya open house in Putrajaya.

The domestic trade and consumer affairs minister said the matter was not discussed at the party’s presidential council and the cabinet. 

Saifuddin confirmed that Latheefa has resigned from PKR via email.

My staff discovered that there was indeed an email by Latheefa to (the) party president on May 3 but party president Anwar (Ibrahim) has just came back from Saudi.

“He went to Saudi for umrah and he did not read the email. As of now, I have received the email saying she has quit the party.”

“As far as her status is concerned, we no longer consider her to be a party member.”

On the PH manifesto on appointments, he said it would be preferred that her appointment had gone through the parliament select committee for key appointments.

“We made an agreement that we would make the MACC answerable to parliament.

“We’re saying that we would have preferred that it had gone through the parliament select committee. That is our position as far as Pakatan Harapan is concerned.”

The Kulim Bandar Baharu MP declined to say whether he approved of the move pending an explanation. – June 5, 2019.