Rafizi, who also heads the National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW), claimed he received information that indicated that the duo’s decision to step down was due to political interference.
“We have been contacted and had met with a senior official of the MACC about five months ago and he informed us that the two top MACC leaders were being forced to resign.
“We were also informed that the commissioner and the deputy commissioner did not intend or make an application to resign then,” the Pandan lawmaker said in a statement.
Earlier today MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed said he had resigned of his own volition.
At the same press conference, Abu Kassim also revealed that MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull will retire next month.
Rafizi also alleged that “outsiders” will replace the duo.
He then urged Opposition MPs who sit on MACC’s Special Committee, namely DAP’s Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Fauzi Abd Rahman (PKR) and Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS )to resign in protest.
Rafizi also encouraged those in the MACC Advisory Board and Operations Review Panel to also step down and suggested those who will be appointed to such posts to turn down the offer.
NOW, he added, will hold an emergency meeting on June 27 involving members of Parliament, leaders of civil societies and non-governmental bodies to discuss follow-up action to defend the integrity and independence of the MACC.