This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on May 23, 2018

PUTRAJAYA: A bullet sent to his home, threats to his staff and being followed in foreign countries were just a few of the ordeals newly appointed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull faced when previously investigating SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRCI), a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

“It was one of the worst cases I’ve dealt with. They were too big to protect [from being exposed],” Mohd Shukri told reporters yesterday.

Speaking at the MACC headquarters, Mohd Shukri said he has come out of retirement to complete the investigation relating to SRCI and the RM2.6 billion allegedly channelled into the bank account of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“At the time, we knew that either we (Mohd Shukri and former MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed) had to take action or action was going to be taken against us, if you know what I mean,” said Mohd Shukri, who was the MACC’s deputy chief commissioner at the height of the 1MDB scandal.

The challenges MACC officers faced during the course of the investigation undertaken in 2015 included threats of being fired, early retirement, a transfer to other departments, and ultimately the risk of being arrested and even possible death.

During the investigation, Mohd Shukri, who was then deputy chief of the MACC, left for Washington DC in the US following speculation that he would be arrested for conspiring to take down the ruling government, after Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was removed as attorney-general at the time.

Despite having planted a false trail suggesting he was travelling to Jeddah where a red alert was sent out for him, Mohd Shukri said he was followed in Washington DC.

He then sought protection from the New York Police Department for about a week.

“I told a senior officer of the  MACC to tell the then inspector-general of police to send a better spy, because my team was following him [instead of] him following me,” he said.

Upon his return to Malaysia, Mohd Shukri and Abu Kassim met with ministers separately to explain that the RM2.6 billion case was not a hoax but a real case.

“Only three ministers listened — Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and [former second finance minister] Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah,” he added.

He also revealed that they have both met with the Conference of Rulers twice to get their assistance in the investigation but were left “disappointed”.

Mohd Shukri also told of “an MP (member of parliament) from the north” who paid him a visit twice to persuade him to cease all MACC investigations in both cases.

It is widely believed that Mohd Shukri was referring to Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, the MP for Baling, Kedah who also serves as chairman of pilgrim fund Lembaga Tabung Haji.

The straw that broke the camel’s back, however, said Mohd Shukri, was when a former deputy public prosecutor (DPP) got involved in the investigation.

“A DPP is supposed to find more information to strengthen a case, not to protect the subject of investigation. That was when I decided to retire early,” he said.

Mohd Shukri said he had refrained from disclosing his troubles — including the bullet in the mail — to his family and staff as he did not want them to be demoralised, adding that he did not lodge a police report on the uncertainty of a thorough follow-up.

Coming close to tears, he also said he felt guilty for having seemed to have “run away” while his staff were unjustly fired or transferred.

“We (Abu Kassim and I) wanted to help return the money that was stolen but we were instead accused of being traitors,” an emotional Mohd Shurki told reporters.