THE newly appointed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief gave an emotional account today of how he was harassed and threatened in 2015 while investigating the 1MDB state fund, adding that on one occasion, a bullet was sent to his home.

Mohd Shukri Abdull recounted how he had received information that he would be arrested for attempting “to topple the government”.

“We had our own intelligence sources… that I would be arrested and locked up, because I was accused as being part of a conspiracy to bring down the government,” Shukri told a news conference, shedding tears briefly during opening remarks.

“We wanted to bring money that was stolen back to our country. Instead, we were accused of bringing down the country, we were accused of being traitors.”

In 2015, the former MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed was investigating the RM2.6 billion deposited into Najib Razak’s bank accounts and was ready to indict the former prime minister.

Shukri said the commission had enough information to initiate an investigation into SRC International, a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which allegedly transferred millions of ringgit into Najib’s accounts.

Shukri left the agency in August 2016 after 32 years of service. He was the then deputy chief commissioner (operations).

Shukri said today it was too much to bear and to escape arrest, he had to leave for Washington after being informed by his “friends” that there were orders to arrest him and charge him for treason.

Threats also came from individuals and through WhatsApp, he said.

“I also received a live bullet sent to me at home. I never told this to my family or to my men because I did not want them to worry. I also did not lodge a report because I knew it would go viral if I did.” – May 22, 2018.