Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Paul Low said the government will build on outgoing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed's legacy and assured his replacement will be someone of integrity.

"The government will rely and build upon Abu Kassim’s legacy, giving careful consideration that his successor should be a person of the highest personal integrity, with intimate knowledge and extensive experience in the intricate workings and methods of combating corruption," he said in a statement today.

Low added that Abu Kassim's successor would best be chosen from within the ranks of MACC.

"Ideally, the new chief commissioner should be drawn from the existing pool of competent, senior MACC officers who have had the benefit of working alongside a respected leader such as Abu Kassim.

"Above all, the country’s reputation for good governance must be safeguarded without compromise, more so as international companies today favour and are increasingly attracted to conduct business in well-managed environments with lesser risk of corruption," he said.

Low said Abu Kassim's resignation was a loss to the country and his work over the years helped establish the MACC as a professional body which gained public trust.

Abu Kassim today announced he would be resigning from the MACC effective Aug 1, but denied he was pressured to step down.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull is also set to retire next month.

He had previously admitted there were attempts to interfere in MACC's investigations and lamented that politicians under investigation were glorified while the MACC was painted as running dogs.

The opposition has claimed the departure of two key figures from MACC is related to its investigation into 1MDB and the multi-billion ringgit in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts.

The government denied this while attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali cleared Najib of wrongdoing.