‘I was threatened, called a traitor’

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull, the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner, claimed he was threatened several times in the course of his investigation into issues surrounding 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and SRC International.

Shukri said he even received a live bullet and was forced into early retirement.

He said he and his fellow investigators were under immense pressure, including having their witnesses spirited away.

“Investigating the SRC and 1MDB cases was frightening. I almost died. I am sad.

“(Tan Sri) Abu Kassim (Mohamed) (then MACC chief commissioner) and I were accused of being traitors when we were doing our best to save the country and recover money from abroad,” he said at the MACC headquarters yesterday.

Shukri said in 2015, Abu Kassim had instructed him to initiate an investigation into the RM2.6 billion allegedly found in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank account.

“Tan Sri (Abu Kassim) had briefed me on the consequences of indicting a sitting prime minister, but I told him it would not be a problem as we are doing it for the nation.”

Shukri completed two investigation papers on the case.

He said more than 100 witnesses had their statements recorded in the course of the investigation.

However, he said, one day before MACC was about to take action against Najib, then attorneygeneral Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was removed from office.

“My sources told me that I would be arrested and jailed for attempting to overthrow the government. I decided to leave for Washington, DC.”

Shukri released decoy information that he would be heading for Saudi Arabia.

“I heard someone was waiting to arrest me in Jeddah,” he claimed.

He said when he arrived in Washington, DC, he was tailed.

He had his team in the United States take photos of the person following him.

“I sent the pictures to MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki, and asked him to send it to the then inspector-general of police.”

Fearing for his safety, Shukri said he went to New York to seek protection from a friend, who worked with the New York Police Department.

He stayed there for a week

before returning to Washington.

At the press conference yesterday, Shukri broke down when describing his guilt upon learning that his men had been arrested back in Malaysia.

“I felt guilty. I, Tan Sri and my men were fighting for the nation, but we were labelled as traitors.

“I felt helpless and frustrated for failing to protect my men.”

Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he was not aware that Shukri had tried to meet cabinet ministers over the 1MDB scandal.

“That is outside my knowledge. Me? I do not know. Datuk Hisham, did you see him?” he turned to ask former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

On whether they had attended such a meeting with other cabinet ministers, Zahid replied: “I do not know... We are not in the cabinet now.”

He said he took no issue with MACC questioning Najib on 1MDB, but stated that the authorities should adhere to procedures.

“I feel that this is the MACC procedure. As long as it is done at a proper time... this procedure has to be respected by everyone.

“We do not agree when a probe or investigation takes place during improper times.”