KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called upon Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders including Cabinet members to accept Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to appoint a former PKR central committee member as the new chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The PKR president said the polemic against the appointment of Latheefa Koya, displayed openly amongst PH leaders would have a negative effect on the government.
Anwar who is also Port Dickson MP however expressed his confidence that Dr Mahathir and the PH leadership would evaluate all views and would explain to the Cabinet and the PH presidential council on the appointment.
"Latheefa's appointment has resulted in various reactions amongst PH leaders, non-governmental bodies and members of the public," he said, adding that should the polemic continue, it would lead to negative implications in the PH government's image and aspirations.
"Therefore I urge my friends to accept Dr Mahathir's decision and to give Latheefa and the MACC room to execute their duties in a strict and effective manner," he said in a statement, today.
Latheefa, a lawyer and formerly the executive director of Lawyers for Liberty, replaced Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull as the MACC's chief commissioner after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to his application to shorten his service contract which was supposed to end on May 17, 2020.
Much has been said following Latheefa's appointment amongst PH leaders as some claim it went against the coalition's manifesto and the MACC Act, apart from the matter not being informed to Cabinet members prior to its announcement.
A PKR leader had also launched a campaign in his personal capacity on social media, urging for Latheefa to step down from her new post.