The MACC Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) said the public perception that its investigators are being investigated has to be dispelled "at all cost".

“The current atmosphere of distrust and cynicism by the public could only be dispelled by allowing MACC to perform its duties without fear and favour", it said in a statement today.

The CCPP - which is one of MACC’s five independent oversight panels - expressed concern and dismay over the ‘recent spate of actions’ against the commission’s officers.

While the panel did not specify the actions that caused it concern, the statement appears to be referring to an ongoing police investigation against MACC’s officers.

Thus far, the police have questioned seven of MACC’s officers over a purported leak of information about its investigation on SRC International, which is a former 1MDB subsidiary.

This had included a series of raids at the offices and homes of those investigated, including one at the MACC special operations division’s office in Putrajaya last night.

The investigation is being conducted under Section 124B of the Penal Code, which deals with activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy and carries a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Mustafar Ali ( photo ) had stated that the police’s move had disrupted its investigation because the investigators’ equipment such as laptops had been confiscated by the police.

However, the police had defended their move to investigate the MACC investigators.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar told Malaysiakini that the police has no intention of disrupting MACC’s work, while his deputy Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the police is only focusing on the leak of confidential information.

“Our focus is only on the leak of secret documents […] other issues are of no concern to us. The MACC can continue with their investigation, and we shall continue with ours.

“We will not interfere. We respect the MACC and the powers vested upon them,” Noor Rashid said earlier today.

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