(Aug 6): Police acted in a high-handed manner in their raids and arrests of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers over alleged leaks of information linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Paul Low.

Low, who is in charge of governance and integrity, said such action would impact negatively on the country, both locally and abroad.

"The police are showing high-handedness in handling this issue.

"It is important that this institution (MACC) do what they need to do, because the people are expecting the probe to be completed to a satisfactory conclusion.

"Secondly, even the international community is watching us to see how cases like these are being handled, and whether it is able to carry out its task in accordance with the mandate given to them," he said at an event in Kuala Lumpur today.

Seven MACC officials were picked up for questioning since last weekend, as police focussed on leaked information on 1MDB, which is at the centre of an investigation over alleged financial irregularities.

The police action followed The Wall Street Journal's (WSJ) report last month citing documents from Malaysian investigators which showed that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited in prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's personal bank accounts.

Najib has denied taking 1MDB funds for personal use, but never directly addressed the fund transfers.

On Monday, MACC confirmed the existence of the huge sum, but said it came from a Middle Eastern donor, and not from 1MDB.

MACC did not reveal the identity of the donor, but said it would ask Najib to provide an explanation on the donation.

Low said MACC was an institution that should be handled professionally and that they would not be uncooperative with the police if there is really a case.

"There is still room for improvement on how police handled the officers, they can just call them up and I am sure they will go," he said, adding that the current action might cause the public to view it as harassment.

The anti-graft agency officers, he said, are professional and have done their best to ensure the integrity of the process is observed, and this included not leaking out any documents or information to any parties.

"The police have to be mindful that the documents they had seized are part of MACC's investigative papers and if MACC were to continue to do its jobs, they have to get the documents back intact," he said. – The Malaysian Insider