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Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief resigns, says new PM ‘fully supportive’ of ongoing 1MDB action
- Latheefa Koya was appointed by ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad’s government
- Her resignation comes days after new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin took office, with Attorney General Tommy Thomas also resigning last week.
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Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief who investigated the 1MDB fraud said on Friday that she had resigned, the second such exit in the last few days after a party that was defeated in the 2018 general election came back to power.
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Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who unexpectedly resigned last week after the Pakatan Harapan ruling coalition collapsed, has accused the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) of orchestrating a return to power so that its officials could escape conviction in the alleged theft of billions of dollars from state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
The party denies the charges.
Latheefa Koya of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said there was no pressure on her to resign and that new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is backed by Umno, understood her decision to put in her papers.
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She said she wanted to return to her practice as a human rights advocate.
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