Deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said he is not aware of any offer to appoint him as the next chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), as stated in news reports.

“No need to report any news (about it), I (have) no comment,” Noor Rashid is reported as saying in a text message to Chinese daily Sin Chew.

According to the article uploaded on the online version of the newspaper today, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar also claims that he is not aware of the matter when contacted.

Noor Rashid and the IGP were responding to news that he has been named as the replacement for outgoing MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed, who retires in August.

The government has been looking for a successor to Abu Kassim' following the MACC chief’s decision to retire early, Chinese newspaper Oriental Daily quoted a source as saying.

Noor Rashid is said to have received the offer for the post when he was on an official trip to London last month.

However, he did not accept the offer immediately as he wants more time to consider, the Chinese daily reported.

The 58-year-old senior police officer, who joined the force 32 years ago, is said to be concerned that he would have to deal with personnel issues in the new environment, and therefore did not make a decision when first offered the post.

Despite that, the source told Oriental Daily, Noor Rashid would leave it to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to make the decision.

When met later in Putrajaya, Khalid appears to accept the idea that Noor Rashid be made the new MACC chief.

"He is my able deputy. So, of course if the government thinks he is fit to head (MACC), why not ?" he said, with Noor Rashid sitting beside him at the press conference.

Both of them had earlier attended the 36th Aseanapol Conference in Putrajaya.

"Nobody ever told me and him actually. This is all speculation again," he said.

Noor Rashid denied again that he has received the transfer offer.