‘RETURN 1MDB MONIES OR RISK LEGAL ACTION’
If holders of accounts frozen by MACC fail to do so, agency can strip assets, file suit, says chief
THE holders of bank accounts that were frozen by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) have been urged to voluntarily return the monies belonging to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) if they do not want legal action, property seizures or suits to be initiated against them.
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull said the 1MDB funds that flowed into these frozen accounts were considered to be “illegal money”, which needed to be returned.
“All accounts that we believe received funding from 1MDB, MACC has frozen them.
“We ask account holders, including accounts owned by individuals, political parties or associations, to come forward and meet MACC if there are problems.
“We urge them to come forward and hand over the 1MDB money.
“If they fail to do so, legal action could be taken,” he told a press conference after launching a book titled Corruption and Crime in Malaysia, Perception or Reality Akhbar Satar at Gerakbudaya bookstore in Petaling Jaya near here.
Asked about the type of legal action that could be taken against account holders who did not abide by MACC’s directive, Shukri said the 1MDB Special Task Force could strip them of their assets and file suits.
He said MACC would ensure 1MDB monies that flowed into any accounts were returned by using evidence and information available to them.
He said more accounts could be frozen.
In explaining why MACC did not issue notices to the account holders before the freeze, Shukri said there was no need because that could give them a chance to “clean up” their accounts.
The New Straits Times Press reported that 408 bank accounts with funds totalling RM1.1 billion had been frozen by the special task force investigating 1MDB.
The task force had said the freeze was conducted between June 26 and 29, involving accounts belonging to individuals, political parties and non-governmental organisations.
On businessman Low Taek Jho, Shukri said MACC was firm in its stand not to accept his offer to have his statement recorded in Dubai, as stated by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently.
Shukri asked Low to give his statement in Malaysia.
“MACC will not go to Dubai. Come home. He is, after all, Malaysian.”