MOHD Shukri Abdull said he had forwarded two names to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to replace him at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The former MACC chief said he had proposed two serving officers as his replacement when he sent a letter to the premier to indicating his desire to retire on March 6.

“In my letter, I quoted what I said during my meeting with the prime minister on May 14 last year that I only agreed to be chief commissioner for one year to solve the SRC International and 1MDB cases and MACC’s internal issues.

“I suggested two senior MACC officers as the chief commissioner because of the experience they have in the commission and its operations. It will be easy when either one took over,” he told a press conference this morning in Putrajaya.

However, when asked to disclose the identity of the two officers, Shukri declined to name them.

He said he brought along his predecessor, Abu Kassim Mohamed – who now heads the The National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) – to meet Dr Mahathir in March to hand over the letter.

According to Shukri, the prime minister did not give any feedback on the two names forwarded.

Shukri was 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 MACC’s probe into 1MDB in 2015 after a crackdown by then prime minister Najib Razak on MACC and other institutions, and his critics in the cabinet.

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 now ongoing. 

Latheefa Koya was named as the new MACC chief commissioner on Tuesday to replace Shukri who stepped down ahead of the end of his contract on May 17, 2020.

The former Lawyers for Liberty executive director is on a two-year contract with the commission effective June 1, 2019.  

Her shock appointment provoked a mixed response from civil society groups, the opposition and Pakatan Harapan, whose members are split in their opinions.

During the open house at the prime minister’s official residence in Putrajaya on Wednesday, Dr Mahathir told reporters that it was his decision to make Latheefa the MACC chief.

“She is very straightforward. She says what the truth is. She doesn’t mince words,” he said.

“I appointed her based on her strong character. She is not afraid to make her stand.” – June 8, 2019.