KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Latheefa Koya created history when she became the first woman to hold the chief commissioner post of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
However after helming MACC for less than a year, Latheefa handed in her resignation letter earlier this week.
Despite the short stint, her firmness was clear to all parties when she acted swiftly to clean up corruption in Malaysia.
Latheefa in her press statement today said she handed her resignation letter to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on March 2 and yesterday she met Muhyiddin to express her decision to resign from MACC.
“It is my own decision to do so...my intention is to return to my practice as a human rights advocate,” she said in the statement.
Latheefa, who was earlier executive director of Lawyers For Liberty, was appointed to the top MACC post by the Pakatan Harapan government on a two-year contract effective June 1 last year after getting the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Since her appointment, Latheefa who holds a law degree from the University of London, met various challenges including calls from various quarters for her to resign.
However, the criticisms and pressure did not affect Latheefa as she boldly went on to carry out her responsibilities.
She was also fearless and outspoken when leading the commission especially with her exposure of video recording on smuggling activities at the country’s border to reveal corruption there since 2017.
She also released audio recordings allegedly information leak from the Attorney-General Chambers to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and other conversations related to investigations on 1Malaysia Development Berhad and SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Latheefa who was born in Kerala, India and raised in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, had also said that MACC would be reopening more than 10 old cases on corruption including high-profile cases.
Her determined efforts to eradicate corruption probably aided Malaysia’s improved ranking by 10 rungs to the 51st spot in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2019.
Among the changes made was stopping the practice of wearing orange lockup attire by suspects brought to court who are not guilty in line with Article 5 (1) of the Federal Constitution.
Despite the short time in leading the body to stamp out corruption, Latheefa was seen as a bold and firm person who is out to stop corruption in the country.
“It is business as usual in the MACC, in the capable hands of my officers.
“I am leaving my position with the fullest confidence that the MACC will continue to be uncompromising and tireless in the fight against corruption, irrespective of the position or political allegiance of the perpetrators,” she said. — Bernama
