'Integrity above all': Ex-MACC officer who worked on SRC case says religious conviction gave him strength

Investigating powerful figures comes with its own risks, but for retired MACC officer Rosli Husain, the job was never about who stood on the other side of an investigation.

For the former lead investigator in MACC's SRC International probe, it was about upholding integrity, doing what was right and carrying out his duties without fear or favour.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, Rosli (above) said he had always believed in treating everyone fairly, including those under investigation, and that the strength to uphold this principle ultimately came from Allah.

"If we intend to charge someone, we must first assess whether the evidence is sufficient. If further investigations establish that the evidence is insufficient to charge that person, we must be honest and acknowledge that they should not be charged.

"But if further investigations produce evidence that strengthens the case, and there is sufficient evidence, then we must proceed with the charge.

"That is what I mean when I say we must not betray the findings of an investigation.

"A prosecution will eventually be tested in court. Any weaknesses or shortcomings will surface during proceedings. If charges are brought without valid supporting evidence, those weaknesses will emerge in court, complicate the case and potentially cause us to lose it.

"That is why religious conviction must be our fundamental foundation. We understand that, ultimately, there is a higher accountability," he said.

Rosli led MACC's investigation into SRC International, which began in 2015.

However, Rosli and another MACC officer were arrested by police on Aug 5 that year over alleged involvement in activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Their office in Putrajaya and Rosli's family home in Putrajaya were also raided as part of a police investigation.

From investigation to prosecution

MACC's investigation eventually led to the prosecution of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2018.

In 2020, Najib was found guilty by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on seven charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving RM42 million from SRC International. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million.

In August 2023, the Federal Court affirmed the conviction.

In January 2024, the Pardons Board reduced Najib's prison sentence from 12 years to six, while his fine was cut from RM210 million to RM50 million.

On Sept 18, 2026, Najib received a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to stipulated conditions - which the former Pekan MP met.

Rosli reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 in July last year, bringing to a close a 32-year career with the anti-graft agency.

Asked about his experience handling the SRC investigation, Rosli, fondly known among his colleagues as Rosli Janggut, acknowledged that there had been “meddling” during its early stages but preferred not to elaborate.

However, he said his team eventually received good cooperation from everyone they needed to assist the investigation, including Najib, following the 2018 general election.

He attributed this, in part, to extensive media coverage of the case, for which he expressed appreciation to journalists and news organisations.

"I would also like to extend my gratitude to the reporters and news agencies that helped us a lot.

"When this case was covered by local and international media, with some even describing it as the ‘case of the century’ and so on, it made it easier for us to secure the cooperation of witnesses and the people we were investigating," Rosli said.

Malaysiakini has also sought Rosli's view on latest development in SRC International case, including Najib's house arrest.

However, the retiree said he prefers not to touch on the matter.

He also declined to go into details regarding the investigation, citing concern of its potential impact to another SRC probe.

A childhood fascination with investigations

Reflecting on his career in MACC, Rosli said his interest in criminal investigations dated back to his secondary school days, when he would avidly follow newspaper reports on high-profile cases.

Among those that captured his attention were the murders of Negeri Sembilan state assembly speaker Mohamad Taha Talib in 1982 and teacher Jean Perera Sinnappa in 1979, as well as the police operation that brought down notorious gangster Botak Chin in 1976.

"At the time of Botak Chin's arrest, there was this famous television series called ‘The Rookies’.

“I can still remember reading an Utusan Malaysia report about how the police cornered him at a sawmill using tactics similar to those in ‘The Rookies’.

"The Selangor police chief at the time was P Alagendra. I was really into reading about these cases. I would even go to a neighbour's house just to read the newspaper," he recalled.

Despite his keen interest in police work, the computer science graduate never considered applying to join the force, believing he was not cut out to be a police officer.

His reason? He was particularly bad at marching, Rosli quipped.

After graduating from Institut Teknologi Mara (now Universiti Teknologi Mara), his first job was with a subsidiary of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

In 1993, he applied to join the civil service, with vacancies available at the Road Transport Department and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), the predecessor of MACC.

Rosli said he had no particular preference at the time and accepted the ACA's offer to join as an assistant investigating officer.

After completing his mandatory training, he was first assigned to ACA's office in Raub, Pahang. His second posting was at the agency's economy section, drawing on his previous experience in the stock exchange.

From there, he went through various postings and rose through the ranks, eventually retiring as the Kelantan MACC director.

Over the course of his career, Rosli was also involved in several other high-profile investigations, including a case involving Permodalan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB), corruption cases involving lawmakers, and leading the MACC's internal investigation unit.

He had also served as an integrity officer at the Transport Ministry.

A new chapter after retirement

These days, Rosli's retirement is largely occupied by family commitments and Islamic dakwah activities.

The father of five said he wanted to devote the remainder of his time to religious work and preparing for the hereafter.

"I think I have chosen to devote my time to dakwah activities, religious work and efforts to continue the work of Prophet Muhammad and his companions.

"There is certainly a great deal of work for us to carry out in this area. I want to focus on good deeds, as people say, for the next world.

"The hereafter is drawing closer, isn't it? When you reach the age of 60, as I have, you realise that this stage of life is already upon you.

"So, I want to focus on that. There is plenty to keep me occupied, and I do not want to waste my time," he said.

Nevertheless, retirement has not meant a complete departure from his professional life.

Rosli said he remained willing to share his knowledge and experience, whether through integrity talks or training younger MACC officers, whenever called upon.

He added that he was happy to continue contributing to the development of others by sharing lessons from his 32 years of work in the anti-graft agency.

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