I DON’T know.

This was Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim’s brief response when asked about the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief’s statement that an “MP from the north” had twice tried to bribe him into closing the file on former prime minister Najib Razak.

“Don’t know. I don’t know about that,” the Baling lawmaker and Tabung Haji chairman told Malaysia Decides this evening before abruptly ending the call.

At a press conference earlier today, top graft-buster Mohd Shukri Abdull said a “cash is king” MP from a northern state had offered him “anything” for the case to be closed in 2015.

Shukri was MACC deputy chief commissioner at the time.

“The MP asked me, ‘what do you want?’ I said, ‘don’t interfere in my investigation’. I don’t want anything.

“I only want to carry out my responsibilities. I have no vested interest in the case.

“Then, he came to me a second time, asking the same question and telling me to close the case. At that point, I told him to stop or I would arrest him.

“This MP is not involved in the SRC International and 1Malaysia Development Bhd case. He is just a lackey.”

He said this was just one of the ways the then Barisan Nasional government had pressured him to stop investigating Najib.

He said apart from being pushed to quit as the probe was nearing completion, his life was also threatened.

Shukri retired in October 2016 but was called back by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to serve as MACC chief following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 14th general election.

He said he will continue investigating the RM2.6 billion transferred into Najib’s account, said to be from an Arab donor, as well as another RM42 million that had made its way into the former prime minister’s account.

Najib was summoned to the MACC headquarters today to give his statement in relation to the SRC International case. He was quizzed for four hours.

He has been ordered to return on Thursday for further questioning. – May 22, 2018.