MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad said he has neither been instructed by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to take action against anyone, nor been prevented from doing so.

Dzulkifli said this when asked in a dialogue session with university students whether he faced pressure from politicians to not take action against anyone involved in corruption.

"Since Aug 1, 2016 until today, Dec 4, 2017, I want to state here – listen carefully – the prime minister of Malaysia has never ever given any instruction to not take action or to take action against anyone, never.

"But what you have heard on social media is that it is as if the MACC is being controlled by the country's leaders to follow their instructions.

"I want to say that it is all untrue, because the Najib administration has never given (the commission) any instruction, and he gives me full independence to take action against anyone whom I feel should be taken action against," he said. 

Dzulkifli also confirmed that he has never received phone calls from any ministers for any favours.

"I think they are also afraid to call me. I want to state here that the action we take is free from political pressure.

"All decisions made by the top MACC leadership and me on the cases to be undertaken are made independently without outside influence," he further stressed.

Certain quarters have accused the MACC of practising selective prosecution, a claim that has been continuously denied by the MACC.

The MACC has been criticised over its reluctance to probe 1MDB.

Dzulkifli had previously stated that the MACC will leave investigations related to 1MDB to the police to avoid an overlap.