Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) director (special operations) Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin and MACC director of strategic communications Datuk Rohaizad Yaakob have been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department with immediate effect.
Both are expected to report to the department on Monday.
Bahri has been very vocal in his comments against the police over their actions in their investigation against MACC on the alleged leakage of classified government documents in the agency’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe.
It is understood that both were transferred for their ‘hard hitting’ statements following the police raids arrest of MACC officers.
It is also understood that it was due to how the MACC responded to the ‘continuous attack’ against the anti-graft body and the agency’s soft approach to opposition leaders when they visited the MACC headquarters yesterday.
Sources said that both were transferred due to “disciplinary issues”.
It was also understood that special branch officers were also present yesterday to conduct ‘profiling’ of the key MACC officers including Rohaizad, who were present during the meeting with opposition leaders.
It is not known what roles the two will be taking at the Prime Minister’s Department as everyone seemed shocked and clueless over the transfer order.
Bahri was last seen leaving the MACC headquarters at 6.30pm waving to his subordinates before being driven away in a maroon Proton Inspira.
Meanwhile, Rohaizad left the building at 7pm, and was escorted to his Proton Waja by his men.
He declined to comment on the matter.
“Thank you for being here,” he said before leaving.
Bahri was one of seven officials who were questioned by police over the past week, as police focused on leaked information on 1MDB which is at the centre of an investigation over alleged financial irregularities.
Bahri had hinted that there were hidden hands in the police action although police had denied the allegation, saying that it was their prerogative to investigate.
The MACC officials are being investigated under section 124 of the Penal Code and the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 for leaking government documents and banking information.
The other MACC officers hauled up by police include the agency’s forensics division head Datuk I.G. Chandran and its senior assistant commissioner Tuan Ruslan Tuan Mat, special operations deputy director Datuk Tan Kang Sai, former MACC adviser Tan Sri Rashpal Singh and an officer with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Jessica Gurmeet Kaur.
Police also raided the MACC special operations division office and the office of its deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairy, taking documents related to the 1MDB probe.
Police had said they would investigate members of the special task force handling the probe into 1MDB, after the Attorney-General’s Chambers on July 8 said that information leaks on the matter were a “criminal act of leaking classified documents to foreign nationals”. – August 7, 2015.
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