The head of Malaysia’s anti-corruption commission had a bullet sent to his home during the investigation of a financial scandal that implicated former prime minister Najib Razak.
Mohd Shukri Abdull, chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), told reporters on Tuesday that during a 2015 investigation into how billions of dollars when missing from state investment fund 1MDB he was repeatedly threatened and told he would be “arrested and locked up.”
“I was threatened to be fired, asked to retire early, take leave early, and be pulled into the training department,” Shukri said, adding that witnesses he interviewed were “taken away.”
“I was sent a bullet to my house. I never told my wife or my family. I never even made a police report,” Shukri said.
He added: “We wanted to bring back money that was stolen back to our country. Instead we were accused of bringing down the country, we were accused of being traitors,” tearing up during his remarks. “I cried like a baby. I felt very guilty. Former MACC chief Abu Kassim and I have been accused of betrayal.”
At one point Shukri even flew to Washington to bring the 1MDB case, in which suspicious funds ended up in the personal accounts of Najib, to US authorities. But when he was followed and photographed by people he knew he went to New York where he was provided three NYPD “bodyguards.”
On Tuesday he said he “nearly died” during the whole process.
Shukri was previously MACC’s deputy chief commissioner but resigned in an emotional speech in 2016, saying he had been accused of trying to overthrow the government and urged his collagues to “be brave.”
He was appointed head of the commission after Malaysia’s new prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, beat Najib at the polls nearly two weeks ago. It was a shock result and the opposition alliance now holds power for the first time in the country’s independent history.
Mahathir also announced a renewed effort in investigating the 1MDB scandal. A new taskforce has been created and the prime minister said he expects charges to be laid.
Earlier today, Shukri interviewed Najib over $10.6 million found in the former prime minister’s bank account which allegedly originated from a former 1MDB subsidiary.
“I’m coming back to finish what I haven’t finished,” Shukri said.
Shukri also mentioned $681 million found in Najib’s accounts in 2015. At the time, a member of the Saudi royal family said the funds were a “personal donation,” and Shukri said on Tuesday they approached that prince who confirmed making the donation.
“But when we asked for supporting documents, he couldn’t produce any,” Shukri said.
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