KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to reduce Datuk Seri Najib Razak's sentence and fine is a 'bitter blow' to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) especially those involved in the investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case, Latheefa Koya said.
The former MACC chief commissioner said the officers are civil servants who cannot express how they feel about Najib's jail being reduced by half and fine slashed to RM50 million in the SRC International case.
"How do the MACC officers, who risked their jobs and livelihood to investigate 1MDB during the Najib era, feel about the reduced sentence? Let us make no mistake, it is a bitter blow to those officers and to MACC as a whole.
"I know the officers, I know what they are feeling right now," she said in a posting on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Latheefa also questioned if other countries would cooperate with the recovering of 1MDB funds after seeing Najib's sentence reduction.
"This reduction of sentence comes as MACC is still trying to recover 1MDB money overseas.
"I was involved in this process and I know the difficulties. Those other countries are carefully watching - will they cooperate now?" she said.
The Federal Territories Pardons Board announced that Najib's prison sentence will be reduced by half while his fine will be cut from RM210 million to RM50 million.
The decision meant Najib, who began serving his prison term in August 2022, would be released by 2028.
Najib was sentenced to 12-years jail after he was found guilty of one count of abuse of power with regard to Retirement Fund Inc's (KWAP) RM4 billion loan to SRC International Sdn Bhd, as well as three counts each of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving RM42 million of SRC funds.