Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamad Azmin Ali has called on all Malaysians to throw their support behind the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) which is currently investigating 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“It is crucial that the MACC must be allowed to carry out their duties without fear or favour. In this regard, I call on all right thinking Malaysians, political parties regardless of party lines and all members of civil society to rally behind the MACC to enable them to perform their duties,” he said in a statement.

“This is absolutely essential in order to restore whatever credibility that is left of the state of the investigations of 1MDB,” he added.

He said MACC should be allowed to carry on with its 1MDB probe and called on the body to use its powers within the law to thwart illegal interferences.

He said the arrest and interrogation of key people investigating the 1MDB scandal ‘are clearly aimed at obstructing the smooth progress of the investigations’.

He said the raids and arrest of officers who are still engaged in the 1MDB probe, were disturbing.

“Under Section 48 of the MACC Act, it is a criminal offence for anyone to obstruct an investigation by the MACC,” he said adding that the arrest of the key people were gross interferences and must be stopped.

He said the special task force set up to investigate 1MDB financial affairs and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) seemed to have been stopped in their track.

Azmin also claimed that the recent turn of events points to a conspiracy to neutralise the 1MDB investigations.

“The 1MDB investigations must not be seen as a witch-hunt but as part of the process of the rule of law in the country. This is of vital importance to restoring investors’ confidence in our economy and financial system,” he added.

MACC is one of the four bodies investigating the alleged transfer of funds into the personal accounts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Several MACC officers have been detained and their statements recorded over the purported leak of documents in relation to the investigation on the 1MDB scandal.

MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed has also been confirmed to be on leave and is expected to be back next week.

MACC deputy Commissioner (Operation) Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdul denied that Abu Kassim was ordered to go on leave and said he is overseas on work matters.

READ: So, what's going to happen to PAC proceedings?

PAC's hearing on 1MDB was forced to be halted after four of its members, including its chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, were appointed into the Cabinet.

PAC's deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said their probe into 1MDB has been deliberately sabotaged, Dr Tan Seng Giaw alleged.

1MDB former CEOs Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman together with 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy were to appear before the 13-member committee this month.

PAC hearing had been scheduled for Aug 4, 5, 6,17 and 18 as well as Sept 8 and 10.