1MDB forfeiture: Govt to recover RM1.2 million from three entities

The Malaysian government is set to recover more than RM1.2 million related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds from the bank accounts of three entities including Yayasan Rahah.

The other two entities are Umno Pekan Division Education Bureau chairman Datuk Ibrahim Awang Ismail and Naza Quest Auto Sdn Bhd.

The government had applied to forfeit RM839,489.82 from Yayasan Rahah; RM100,000 from Ibrahim and RM269,662 from Naza Quest Auto.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai told High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the three respondents had agreed to the forfeiture.

He proposed for an early date for mention of the case considering that the respondents were ready to surrender the amount to the government.

The court set Sept 6 to record the agreed judgement for Yayasan Rahah and Ibrahim, and September 13 for Naza Quest Auto.

The prosecutor made the application for forfeiture under Section 56(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

It also filed an application to publish in the gazette a notice to third parties with interest in the seized property to stake their claim in court under Section 56(1) and 61(2) of the same Act.

Meanwhile, the court has fixed August 30 for decision on Umno Pekan division's application to dismiss the prosecutor's application to forfeit RM700,000 in the respondent's frozen account.

The court set the same date for third parties with interest in the money to appear in court and stake their claim.

Umno Pekan division's counsel Datuk M Reza Hassan had objected to the publication notice filed by the prosecution.

“The applicant had named the wrong party; it should name the director or individual in Umno Pekan," he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Maziah Mohaide from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Corruption (MACC) said the frozen account belonged to Umno Pekan and therefore appropriate for MACC to name the division.

MACC chief Latheefa Koya told a press conference recently that the prosecution filed forfeiture applications against 41 respondents in a bid to recover about RM270 million related to 1MDB.

She said MACC acted under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act as it believes the sums concerned were actually 1MDB funds transferred from the account of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. - Bernama