Lim said it would be Ismail’s “last chance” to salvage his position as the prime minister amid a backdrop of several issues faced by his government.

In a statement, he said the Cabinet should also decide to convene a special Parliament sitting on Jan 21 to restore public confidence in the government’s anti-corruption programme and to receive, debate and decide on any report the Special Select Committee on Agencies in the Prime Minister’s Department might make on the controversy.

Lim said Malaysia had suffered “two infamies” – the 1MDB scandal and former prime minister Najib Razak, who was convicted in the SRC International corruption case, opening an international conference.

“Let us not suffer a third infamy where the MACC chief loses all public confidence,” the Iskandar Puteri MP added.

Azam and MACC have come under public criticism after it was revealed that he had allowed his brother to buy shares using his trading account.

On Jan 5, MACC’s Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman Abu Zahar Ujang had cleared him of any wrongdoing, saying Azam had informed the board of this and that the purchase of shares by his brother was not a conflict of interest.

On Jan 8, six members of the advisory board distanced themselves from Abu Zahar, claiming that he had merely given his personal view in clearing Azam.

On Sunday, MACC deputy chief commissioners Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya, Norazlan Mohd Razali and Junipah Wandi came out in support of Azam, saying he was a victim of “revenge politics”.