I came back to complete my job, says MACC chief

PUTRAJAYA: “I came back to complete my unfinished job.”

That was what Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull had to say over his appointment as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner.

He said he was reluctant to accept the offer at first, thanks to his “very scary” experience while investigating the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MBD) scandal in 2015.

However, he accepted the appointment with one condition — to complete his unfinished investigations that started three years ago.

“On May 14, I went to the Prime Minister’s Office to meet Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali and Road Transport Department director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Khalid were with me.

“I did not want to accept the offer at first as I had retired and was enjoying my post-retirement life.

“Dr Mahathir asked me if I would accept the offer, adding that if I agreed, I needed to clock in the next day.

“It was hard to say no to Dr Mahathir, who is 93 and is still working for a better Malaysia.

“So, I accepted it with one condition. I told him that I wanted to complete what I had started — the 1MDB investigations.”

Dr Mahathir announced that Shukri would return to lead the anti-graft commission on May 17, replacing Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, who ended his contract with MACC.

Shukri said he regarded Dzulkifli as a “traitor” for allegedly covering up wrongdoings in the SRC International case.

He said Dzulkifli, with his legal background and experience as a former deputy public prosecutor, should have strengthened the case instead of protecting the wrongdoer.

“He should have studied the case and collected evidence, not protect the one at fault.

“I see him as a traitor to the country.”

Shukri said at that time, he felt that he could not work under Dzulkifli and decided to retire early.