The detention of a former MACC advisor, a prosecutor and a Attorney-General Chambers staff over the past two days were not "arrests", said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the home minister, said that the police merely wanted to record the trio's statements on allegations that confidential information was leaked to Sarawak Report , among other news outlets.

" Tangkapan yang dilakukan oleh pihak polis bukan satu tangkapan tetapi satu siasatan dan pengambilan kenyataan. (The arrest by the police is not an arrest, but an investigation and recording of statements)," he told reporters at the sidelines of the Kepong Umno division wanita wing annual general meeting today.

Ahmad Zahid added that the police had acted professionally on this matter and that if the leak came from the police, they will face action as well.

Yesterday, the police arrested former MACC advisory board member Rashpal Singh, Attorney-General’s Chambers finance and anti-money laundering secretariat member Jessica Gurmeet Kaur and MACC deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi.

Ahmad Sazilee's home and office were also raided .

Contradicts IGP

It is understood that Ahmad Sazilee is a key figure in the special task force investigating SRC International Bhd, a Finance Ministry-owned company that was once part of 1MDB.

Contrary to what Ahmad Zahid said, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said that the trio were arrested under Section 124 of the Penal Code for engaging in activities to undermine Parliamentary democracy.

Critics such as PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail have claimed that the arrest was likely an effort to frustrate and intimidate the task force from conducting investigations.

Among others, the task force was investigating claim that RM2.6 billion made its way into Najib's private bank accounts.

Najib has not denied this claim but instead said he had never used 1MDB money for "personal gain".