Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed is currently on leave due to a medical problem.

The issue was first reported on several blogs but a source confirmed with Malaysiakini that it is true.

Abu Kassim, 55, is said to be suffering from a troubled back and would be undergoing a risky operation.

Speculations have been rife about his absence amidst the police investigating several MACC officers related to the high-profile SRC International probe.

Abu Kassim's deputy Mohd Shukri Abdull ( photo ) is also currently attending a course overseas.

Veteran newsman Ahirudin Attan, who operates the blog Rocky Bru , was amongst those who wrote about the MACC's chief's medical condition.

"If I'm breaching the Tan Sri's privacy with this posting, please accept my apologies.

"But I really can't stand those hypocrites politicizing his sick leave and cooking up all kinds of nastiness so that the police and MACC can be at loggerheads, which should satisfy their petty agenda.

"Please, people, including you #sokongSPRM advocates, make doa (pray) for him to get well soonest so that he can continue to fight for all of us as he's been doing all this while in case you hadn't noticed," he wrote.

The SRC International probe concerns the RM4 billion loan from the Pensioner's Fund (KWAP) to 1MDB and the transfer of RM42 million into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank account.

The police have been probing MACC officers with regard to leaks from this investigation but it led to allegations that it was an attempt to thwart the commission’s probe.

Even MACC deputy chief II Mustafar Ali complained that the police were interfering with their investigation while special operations director Bahri Mohd Zain alleged that hidden hands were responsible.

The police have denied the allegations while Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also home minister, pledged there would be no further action against the MACC legislators.

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