MOVE forward and look beyond the controversy surrounding Latheefa Koya’s appointment as head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, her predecessor Mohd Shukri Abdull has said.

In a press conference, the former director said that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad made the decision to appoint the human rights activist to the position.

“It is his prerogative, I will not question it. The decision has been made, so why must we quarrel about this matter? It is a waste of time,” he said.

“What we should do is let her to the job and we must support her so that she can bring the best out of this body,” Mohd Shukri said this morning.

The former head of the MACC said that Latheefa would be able to perform her duties, despite the fact that she had no previous experience as a graft buster.

“Her job is to mobilise the MACC. Arrests and investigations will be carried out by the officers, who have the knowledge.

“I trust her and she will do the best for the MACC. My men will guide her and I hope they can give their best co-operation to her,” he added.

Mohd Shukri said the accusation that he was asked to quit because he received money from Umno leaders carried no weight.

“I received messages from friends saying that I quit because Umno gave me money. That is why I was forced to quit early.”

“This is nothing but a slander to tarnish my name and image. For 32 years in the force, I did not even get a single cent from anybody.

“To accuse me of corruption is baseless,” he told the press this morning in Putrajaya.

Mohd Shukri later disclosed that during his tenure for a year as the MACC head, the anti-graft body had arrested 1,300 people, including 30 high ranking politicians.

“Never in our history that we manage to arrest that many people, including the politicians; big fish,” he said, adding that of the 1,300 people 30 were chief executive officers and the conviction rate had also increased.

“I can now step down peacefully as I have done my part,” said Mohd Shukri, appointed as MACC chief on May 18 last year.

He had served with the commission for 32 years, before opting for early retirement on July 31, 2016 as deputy chief commissioner (operations).

He had spoken about facing threats over the MACC’s probe into 1MDB in 2015 after a crackdown by then prime minister Najib Razak on the MACC and other institutions, and his critics in the cabinet.

The MACC completed its investigations into 1MDB last July and Najib was charged the same month with the misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International funds.

The trial is ongoing. - June 8, 2019.