Zahid back at MACC over charity funds
PUTRAJAYA: Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi returned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday morning for investigations into alleged funds abuse at the Yayasan Akal Budi charity organisation linked to his family.
On Monday, the newly elected Umno president spent over 8.5 hours here to give his statement for the investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal.
He arrived at 9.55am in his same black Toyota Vellfire as Monday, accompanied by one bodyguard and without any police escorts.
Donning a multi-coloured Batik shirt this time, as opposed to his reddish-orange long sleeved shirt yesterday, he was all smiles again, waving to the assembled and posing for press photographers.
Zahid told reporters Monday he believed the questioning surrounding the 1MDB case to be complete and said the questions posed to him concerned a visit he made in 2015 to a representative from the Saudi King’s family, which the previous Barisan Nasional government credited for a RM2.6 billion “donation” deposited in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s personal account.
He said the MACC informed him their information on the matter was sourced from media reports and the commission needed him to provide a detailed account of what happened.
Zahid also said he is confident that the truth in some of the issues that caused unrest among the public will be unravelled by the MACC promptly.
Yesterday’s statement recording is believed to be over a separate investigation into funds related to the family-owned foundation.
Media reports asserted that Zahid will be scrutinised over allegations that funds from the foundation were used to pay off credit card debts belonging to him and his wife amounting to some RM800,000 between 2014 and 2015
Earlier, at about 9.35am, former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abd Samad also arrived for what it believed will be questioning over 1MDB.
Later at 2pm, Riza Aziz, the Hollywood producer son of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is also scheduled to turn up to facilitate investigations.
Since May, MACC has called several individuals for its probe into 1MDB, including Najib, who was summoned on May 22 and 24.
On June 5, Rosmah, the former PM’s wife, was also summoned to MACC to give her statement over the same matter.
On Monday, the 1MDB Task Force said a total of 408 bank accounts suspected to be linked to 1MDB have been frozen.
Investigators said the accounts belonged to 81 individuals, 55 companies and involves nearly 900 transactions made between March 2011 and September 2015.