Malaysia's anti-graft body loses top 3 men amid 1MDB scandal
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has named a new head of its anti-corruption commission as three top officials are either leaving or transferred from the organisation, in the midst of a corruption scandal plaguing state investment firm 1MDB.
On Aug 1, Dzulkifli Ahmad from the Attorney-General's Chambers takes over as chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) from Abu Kassim Mohamed, who is leaving the anti-graft body two years ahead of his contract completion date.
On Friday (Jul 29), it was revealed that two of Abu Kassim's deputies will also be leaving the MACC. The MACC deputy chief commissioner in charge of prevention is being transferred to the Immigration Department where he will serve as Director-General. Deputy chief commissioner for operations Mohd Shukri Abdull is set to resign later this year as he is of retirement age.
The news comes as controversial state investment firm 1MDB is in the spotlight again, this time over graft allegations from the US Department of Justice. The DOJbelieves more than US$3 billion has been siphoned off from 1MDB due in part to corrupt officials.
1MDB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malaysian Ministry of Finance. Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also finance minister, served as head of 1MDB's advisory board.
He too has faced allegations of misappropriating millions from 1MDB but was cleared of any wrongdoing by Malaysia's attorney general Apandi Ali earlier this year. Apandi Ali had taken over from Abdul Gani Patail, who was dismissed from service last year on the grounds of ill health.
The MACC's outgoing chief Abu Kassim served on a special task force to investigate 1MDB alongside Abdul Gani Patail and former central bank Bank Negara governorZeti Akhtar Aziz...
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