Outgoing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy commissioner (prevention) Mustafar Ali should have been appointed as the new chief commissioner, instead of being transferred to the Immigration Department, said anti-graft group Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel, adding that Mustafar would be more useful in the MACC.

“He could do more wiping out of corruption as head of MACC, not a specific department, as the entire system needs revamping. Immigration is one of many,” she told Malaysiakini today.

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenevasan also shared similar concerns.

She said that while Mustafar could certainly clean up the Immigration Department as its new director-general, she still feels that he was the obvious candidate to replace Abu Kassim Mohamed as the new MACC chief.

“Of course the transfer of Mustafar as director-general of Immigration is a good thing as he can clean up the immigration and deal in particular with the allegations of corruption.

“In fact, if one recalls, after the death camp issue last year in May, the Special Branch had revealed their findings on corruption at the borders and Mustafar would be the best person to deal with this.

“However, I cannot help feeling that he should have been top of the list for MACC (chief) commissioner,” she said to Malaysiakini.

Yesterday, it was announced that Dzulkifli Ahmad, a senior officer with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), will be replacing Abu Kassim as the new MACC chief commissioner.

Mustafar’s appointment ‘cautiously’ welcomed

Meanwhile, DAP lawmaker Steven Sim, who has been pursuing issues within the Immigration Department, said that he welcomed “cautiously” Mustafar’s appointment as the new director-general of the Immigration Department.

He said that the Immigration Department is in a crisis now, with an insider syndicate allegedly facilitating human trafficking and illegal migration activities and multi-billion ringgit contracts allegedly being awarded at a very fast rate within the past year, even as its services declined.

As such, Mustafar’s experience with fighting corruption would be helpful in the Immigration Department, he said, but he remained doubtful of seeing actual changes within the department.

“Mustafar brings with him his experience of fighting corruption at the highest level, this will certainly be useful to clean up the department.

“However, what I am afraid is that his (Mustafar) hands will be tied by political masters.

“MACC’s failure to deal with the prime minister’s alleged RM2.6b ‘donation’ is a deep scar in Mustafar’s track record, if any.

“Will he know be able to stand up against corruptors in the Immigration Department?” Sim asked.

Despite that, Sim said that if Mustafar is sincere, he should first stop and review all contracts signed since January 2015 and initiate a total crackdown on the insider syndicate.

Sim also hoped that his proposal for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on immigration reform will be heard so that the department can be fully cleaned up.

Yesterday, the top three MACC officers, that is MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim, MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdull as well as Mustafar, bid farewell to the agency.

Mustafar was appointed as the new Immigration Department director-general effective Aug 1, and will be replacing Sakib Kusmi who has been transferred to the Public Service Department.

Abu Kassim will continue to serve as an anti-corruption service officer until his mandatory retirement in 2020, while it is understood that Shukri has retired from service.