KUCHING, June 6 ― Former legal affairs minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said it is the prerogative of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to choose the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner.
When asked for her views about Latheefa Koya’s selection for the role, the Batang Sadong MP said it was irrelevant.
She added that since the people have voted Pakatan Harapan into power, the country must abide by the ruling coalition's decisions including its choice of former PKR leader Latheefa to be the head of the MACC.
“Who are you to question him? Who are we to question him? That is the rule of the law,” she said.
“We have already chosen the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government so we have to take it from Dr Mahathir because we have chosen him to be the prime minister.”
The former minister said voters could decide in the coming general election if the appointment was right or otherwise.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office unexpectedly announced Latheefa's two-year term as the new commissioner effective June 1.
She took over from Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull who decided to leave halfway into his two-year term.
Critics of the move including the Malaysian Bar and Bersih 2.0 have expressed concern over the unilateral nature of Latheefa’s appointment, noting it went against PH’s election pledge to give Parliament oversight of key government roles such as the chief commissioner of the MACC.
