“I was threatened and I was even offered millions of ringgit.”
That was the revelation of Pembela Tanah Air (Peta) activist, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or better known as Chegubard, regarding the challenges and immense pressure he allegedly faced when exposing corruption and abuse of power issues involving the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).
According to him, the threats and lucrative offers did not shake his stance the slightest and he held fast to the oath he had taken with his late father.
He said that Tuesday was the third anniversary of the passing of his father, Shaharin Sharif, which was the starting point for the struggle being waged today.
"I swore in front of my late father as I held his hand for 20 to 30 minutes before he breathed his last," he told a press conference today.
Badrul Hisham said, at that time he promised his late father that he was 'fully dedicated' to fighting for truth and justice.
"Everything I do, God willing, is for truth and justice. We are poor people. My father worked climbing poles for Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), while my mother is a cleaner at a hospital," he said.
He also expressed his appreciation to all ATM personnel, including members on duty, officers and military veterans who have relentlessly provided support and information regarding the issues he has exposed.
“I would like to thank all the military personnel, officers and veterans who sent support and various information.
“I guarantee that no one will know the identity of the sources. Even if hung upside down, I will not reveal who the sources are,” he stressed.
Commenting further, Badrul Hisham said that the revelation made was not personal but rather born out of concern for the fate of subordinate members and ATM veterans who he claimed were squeezed by the pressures of life.
"It becomes even more painful when we visit the homes of veterans and families of military personnel who live in very cramped conditions and struggle with the pressures of life.
"They face various challenges in their duties, coming home for a while to eat and see the children, then going out on duty again," he said.
According to him, the situation is very contrary to what he alleged was happening at the top level when there were certain parties who lived luxuriously and abused their positions.
"At the same time, there were parties at the top who were having fun advocating, selling their positions and using various means for personal gains," he said.
He stressed that he would continue to speak out and expose any wrongdoings to safeguard the welfare of ATM members and preserve the dignity of the national defense institution. – January 6, 2026
