Newly-appointed MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya should emulate Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof and quit PKR to avoid calls of conflict of interest, said the party's communications director Fahmi Fadzil.

"In order to avoid any calls, whether it is a conflict of interest or of partisanship, I believe it is imperative that Latheefa distance herself and not be a member of any party.

"I believe, as in the case of the Dewan Rakyat speaker, the MACC chief should also be neutral and not be part of any party. This is my personal belief," he told Malaysiakini today.

Latheefa is a member of PKR and previously served as its legal bureau chief. Her appointment as MACC chief replacing Mohd Shukri Abdull was announced earlier today.

Ariff was formerly Amanah disciplinary chief and a member of the experts' advisory committee, but he relinquished those posts shortly his appointment as Dewan Rakyat speaker last year.

Fahmi (photo) said it would be Latheefa's choice whether to quit the party, but it is important that the public has confidence that she would truly independent of any party.

"I think Malaysians will view this appointment in a positive light, so long as we make it clear that she does not represent any party in exercising her duties as the new MACC chief," he said.

Woman in charge

Despite that, Fahmi said her appointment as MACC chief is "historic." as this is the first time a woman will lead the commission.

PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin also called Latheefa's appointment part of women empowerment in Malaysia.

Although she does not have any background in enforcement, he said she has a "dynamic record" as a lawyer and activist.

"In terms of integrity and credibility, I think she has that capital. 

"Judging from her previous experience of fighting corruption in the old regime, these (qualities) will be the strong points for her appointment as MACC chief," he said.

When asked whether there would be a conflict of interest for someone politically-linked to PKR to lead the commission, Shamsul pointed out that Latheefa no longer holds any position in the party.

In a tweet later today, however, Latheefa clarified that she had already resigned from PKR with immediate effect yesterday, upon being notified of her appointment.

In a statement today, PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin (photo) also congratulated Latheefa on her appointment, saying that it was a positive step towards empowering women in decision-making processes.

"With an impressive professional background, Latheefa who is a lawyer and activist, is the best choice by the Malaysian government in its effort to reform the administration towards having more integrity and becoming more transparent.

"As an experienced lawyer, she has handled many high-profile cases which involved public interest," Zuraida said

Meanwhile, when contacted by Malaysiakini, Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul said he would reserve his comments and merely congratulated Latheefa on her appointment.

It was reported earlier today that Shukri resigned as MACC chief prior to the expiration of his contact on May 17, 2020.

Latheefa, who is the executive director of Lawyers for Liberty, is on a two-year contract effective June 1, 2019.

Shukri was first appointed as the MACC chief commissioner in May last year, after Pakatan Harapan won the 14th general election.

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