KUALA LUMPUR (Jul 3): Newly appointed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya will attend a hearing of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Public Appointments tomorrow over her controversial appointment.

Committee chairman William Leong, who announced this at a media briefing today, said Latheefa has confirmed her attendance.

“There are several issues (concerning the appointment). One of it is that she was an active politician when she was appointed.

“The second is that she was given a two-year contract. We would be asking whether this is good, since it is better to have the MACC chief to have security of tenure, so that the chief can carry out her duties without fear or favour,” he said.

Latheefa replaced Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull whose contract was allowed to expire ahead of its deadline on May 17, 2020.

Her appointment, with effect from June 1, was questioned by some people as she had only  tendered her resignation as a PKR member on June 3 upon being informed of the offer to take up the MACC job.

Besides Leong (PKR-Selayang), the select committee comprises six other lawmakers — Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PKR-Ledang), Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Beruas), Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang), Datuk Dr Hasan Bahrom (Amanah-Tampin), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera) and  Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian).

Meanwhile, Government Budget Special Select Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who was also present at the briefing, said Parliament intends to establish four additional select committees by the end of this year.

“These are (among) Parliament’s efforts to establish a mature democratic system in Malaysia,” he said.

The briefing today was meant to present a report of observation from six special committee chairmen after they took part in a visit to the British Parliament in London, organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association United Kingdom, from June 24 to 27.

Mustapa said the visit was meant to study the functions, responsibilities, roles and operations of select committees in Westminster, and they have reported their observations to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.