GE14 | A ex-Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission director who had spearheaded the probe into a former subsidiary of scandal-laden 1MDB has said that his prayers have finally been answered following Dr Mahathir Mohamad general election victory last night.

MACC special investigations director Bahri Mohd Zin, whose personnel had investigated SRC International Sdn Bhd, congratulated Mahathir and Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and their team over the political upset which brought down former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's government.

Bahri also congratulated 30 million Malaysians for daring to make the change.

"My slogan since (the disruption of the SRC investigations) was you may have the power but I have Allah. This is what I have prayed for every one-third of the night, and this has been answered.

"My pledge to find the culprit who did this is also answered. Insya'allah (God willing) we will see the cases that we have not thought off in court. Thank you to 30 million Malaysians and congratulations to the Mahathir-Anwar team," he told Malaysiakini.

Early last year, Malaysiakini reported that Bahri had opted for early retirement two years ahead of his mandatory retirement age, citing his frustration to the barriers he and his team faced with the SRC International case allegedly linked to Najib.

The special division which Bahri headed was formed in 2010 to investigate high-profile cases, especially those involving corruption of more than RM1 million.

SRC, a subsidiary of 1MDB and now under the Finance Ministry, came under the spotlight after RM42 million of its money was found in Najib's personal bank account. Najib had also helmed the post of finance minister.

While MACC’s 1MDB investigations were complex and involved many overseas jurisdictions - with the attorney-general refusing to issue a mutual legal assistance to the commission to work with foreign investigators - the SRC case was clear-cut as it involved mostly local entities.

Some six countries are investigating 1MDB, which was a focal point of the Pakatan Harapan election campaign.

The SRC money was allegedly deposited into Najib's accounts in two transactions - on Dec 26, 2014 and Feb 10, 2015 - after being routed through two companies, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd and Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd.

Najib has reportedly claimed to be unaware about the money from SRC.

Bahri became livid when Malaysian police, under then inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar (above) investigated MACC and detained three of its investigators over purported leaks on the 1MDB investigations three years ago.

“I will find the perpetrators who are ordering the arrests. By God, I will find the perpetrators till kingdom come,” he had said when his officers were picked up by the police, and the police seized MACC’s equipment and documents related to SRC.

Khalid had then denied they were interfering with the MACC probe into 1MDB.

Bahri's outburst has resulted in him being transferred to the Prime Minister's Department along with then MACC communications director Rohaizad Yaakob.

However, both were reinstated after a public outcry.

In the end, attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali who replaced Abdul Gani Patail, had cleared Najib.

Malaysiakini also reported after Apandi cleared Najib that the Special Operations Division had been allegedly downsized and that six of its officers who were involved in the SRC probe were transferred out of the division.