KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 ― The new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief today labelled the agency’s former head as a “traitor”, accusing him of protecting those who violated the law.
In a tell-all press conference today, Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull ― who was at the centre of the investigation on the RM2.6 billion Arab donation and the RM42 million fund credited into former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s private account, said that he could not bear to work under now ex-MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, whom he said lacked integrity.
“I didn’t want to work under him because I take him to be a traitor to the nation.
“A DPP must work to make case stronger, not protect those who are wrong.
“He should tell me what proof was needed to strengthen the case. Not protect the wrong.
“And when he came here, he was appointed as my superior. I said, this is a big mistake and I can’t work under a traitor,” a clearly emotional Shukri told the hoards of press members, in a special session today.
Shukri said that this then prompted him to seek early retirement.
When quizzed as to whether he would now haul Dzulkefli to be investigated, Shukri did not discount the possibility.
“If we find abuse of power into 1MDB after he took on, we might. At this point, not yet,” he told Malay Mail when stopped at the sidelines of the press conference, later.
Shukri, 58, made his return to the MACC as its chief commissioner yesterday, clocking in for duty at 10.25am.
He was formerly its chief commissioner of operations before retiring in 2016.
Mohd Shukri was named the new MACC chief by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week, replacing Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad who had resigned from his position, and returned for duty at the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Mohd Shukri is expected to take up investigations into Najib’s role over the 1MDB scandal.
