Following a meeting today, the anti-graft commission said it would now leave it to Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali to take further action.

“MACC respects the right of any one to criticise the body but it will not tolerate false statements about MACC’s investigation that are intended to undermine MACC’s image and reputation,” the commission said in a statement.

MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad had earlier warned Lim after the chief minister termed as illegal MACC’s detention of state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh in connection with an illegal carbon filter factory in Bukit Mertajam.

Following this, Dzulkifli on Aug 25 gave Lim 48 hours to issue an unconditional apology to the commission or face legal action.

“(The remark) was defamatory of a government agency which has no agenda in discharging its duty. We regard the matter as serious because it is our right,” he had said.

MACC said the decision by its top management today was unanimous, adding that it had no vested interest in its investigations.

The commission added that it would not take a person’s political ideology or position into account in its investigations.