New MACC chief Latheefa still listed as PKR member, says sec-gen

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Newly-appointed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya is still a PKR member, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.

He said he did not get any resignation letter from Latheefa, who announced that she “sent in” her resignation as ordinary member of PKR, a component party of the ruling Pakatan Harapan, yesterday with immediate effect when she was informed she would be appointed to lead the nation’s anti-corruption agency.

“As of today, her name is still in the system,” Saifuddin told Malay Mail.

When asked if ordinary PKR members need to submit resignation letters to the party secretary-general, Saifuddin said: “For this high-profile case, she should write to sec-gen. That would be the proper way to do.”

Latheefa previously served on PKR’s central leadership council (MPP) from 2003 to 2018. The human rights lawyer from Lawyers for Liberty has also represented many PKR leaders, including party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in various criminal cases like sedition and peaceful assembly offences.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced today that Latheefa was appointed as MACC chief commissioner with effect from June 1 — before her purported resignation from PKR on June 3 — replacing Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull ahead of the expiry of his contract on May 17, 2020.

Selayang MP William Leong, chair of the Parliament special select committee on major public appointments, said his committee was not consulted on Latheefa’s appointment.