The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) spent seven months on the investigations concerning the cases involving Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali yesterday ordered that the files be closed since there were no grounds to initiate charges.

Having met numerous obstacles and even sacrificing their Hari Raya break, the investigators who worked round-the-clock now feel a sense of dejection over the latest development, revealed a source.

"We worked through the fasting month even breaking fast in the office and having sahur (morning meals before fasting) in the office to conduct the probe.

"We did not go home to our families and many of us sacrificed our Hari Raya holidays last year to investigate these cases," he told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.

The source stressed that MACC had investigated the cases in an independent manner, focusing only on the facts and nothing else.

MACC officers were also forced to deal with pressure from the police, who were investigating them over leaked documents.

This included former special operations division prosecutor Ahmad Sazalee Abdul Khairi's house and office being ransacked.

Two of its senior officers, namely special operations director Bahri Mohd Zin and its strategic communications director Rohaizad Yaakob, were slapped with a transfer order to the Prime Minister's Department but this was rescinded after the move courted severe flak.

The situation escalated to the point that MACC even held special prayers to seek divine guidance and protection.

Bahri's division was tasked with investigating the SRC International case, where a sum of RM42 million from the firm was deposited into the prime minister's personal bank accounts.

Yesterday, the AG said investigations showed that Najib had no knowledge nor was he informed about the transfer.

Apandi also claimed that MACC admitted to not being able to prove that the prime minister committed any wrongdoing.

But this appeared to contradict Bahri's statement today that MACC would "most likely" appeal the AG's decision on the cases, which he described as "straightforward".

Meanwhile, another MACC source appeared to agree with former law minister Zaid Ibrahim 's statement that the commission should "close shop".

The source, who declined to be named, said as long as MACC is not given the independence to prosecute then the commission might as well "close shop".

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