MACC top guns ‘had urged cabinet, rulers to remove Najib’

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull says he and Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed had urged the cabinet and Conference of Rulers to replace Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister, after the graft agency obtained evidence of funds misappropriation in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Shukri, who is the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner, said the initiative was started by Abu Kassim, who helmed the commission at the time.

“We split up to meet all the ministers and appealed to them to replace Najib with someone else... as the figure was too large — RM2.6 billion.

“From all the ministers we met, only three dared to speak up — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.”

He said when Barisan Nasional lost in the 14th General Election, many of the ministers he had met in 2015 contacted him to voice their regret in not acting against Najib.

“I told them that I had no selfinterest. I was not asking for money or posts. I was speaking the truth so that we can correct the situation before it is too late. This 1MDB, this RM2.6 billion, they are not fake. This is a true story and the case is too big to be protected.”

Present were MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki, Deputy Chief Commissioner (prevention) Datuk Shamsun Baharin Mohd Jamil and Deputy Chief Commissioner (management and professionalism) Datuk Jaafar Mahad.

Shukri said after efforts to convince the ministers failed, he and Abu Kassim met the Conference of Rulers to seek help, but their attempts were futile.

He said he was approached twice by a member of parliament from a northern state, who asked if he wanted money.

“I told this person to not bother the investigation and to let us finish it and hand it over to the attorney-general.

“The second time the MP approached me, I told him to stop or I would arrest him.”