Mustafar Ali to head National Financial Crime Centre

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali, who retired as the Immigration director-general today, is set to head the newly-formed National Financial Crime Centre (NFCC).At a farewell ceremony here, Mustafar said he received the letter of appointment as the NFCC chief executive from the Public Service Commission today.

“Insya-Allah (God willing), I will start this new task on Jan 2,“ Mustafar said, adding that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had entrusted him with an extension of service in the civil service.Mustafar served the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for 30 years before he was transferred to head the Immigration Department in August 2016.National Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) director-general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed had said previously that the NFCC was set up to tackle money laundering activities.The NFCC, which is expected to be fully operational by the middle of 2019, is being driven by several agencies such as the MACC, Royal Malaysian Customs, Immigration Department and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).At a press conference later, Mustafar said he would use his experience at the MACC and the Immigration Department to run the NFCC, as outlined by the government.“I will carry out this duty as best as possible to help realise the government’s aspiration to transform the landscape of the country’s administration,“ he said, adding that, temporarily, the NFCC would be operating from Complex D here.Meanwhile, Mustafar expressed the hope that the transformation he had planned or brought about since leading the Immigration Department would be continued and improved upon by his successor, including the dream of establishing the Immigration Museum.

Asked who would succeed him, Mustafar said the matter would be decided by the Home Minister, and that deputy director-general (management) Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman would be the acting director-general during the interim period. — Bernama