1MDB compound notice: Eight individuals, entities agree to pay fines

PUTRAJAYA: About 10 per cent of the 80 individuals and entities slapped with compound notices from the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) on Oct 7 for receiving funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), have agreed to pay up.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said eight of them had agreed to pay in installments and ‘it (payment method) would be discussed later’.

According to him, 40 per cent of those issued with the notices said they would be taking the matter to court, while another 45 per cent would be appealing to the MACC.

“Three individuals refused to accept the compound notices, but we served them anyway,” he said at a press conference on border corruption here yesterday.

MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya was also present.

Azam said the total collection involving 80 individuals and entities would be announced later.

Asked about the statement made by Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who was among the listed in the compound notices and challenged the calculation method, Azam said the MACC was pursuant to the laws under Section 92 (1) of the Anti Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).

“If there is any party who wants to dispute the method of calculation, it is up to them. MACC just follows the rule of law and there is no mistake in the calculation here,” he explained.

To a question about the 1MDB fund claiming process, Azam said a team was formed several years ago to track 1MDB’s assets worldwide.

“The team is trying to find out where the assets are located and which parties or countries can cooperate (with us) as it has many jurisdictions, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Each side has its own jurisdiction,” he said.

The team would also contact investigators in these countries to discuss and find out more information on how to detect 1MDB assets that were smuggled there. On Oct 7, the MACC said it was seeking to recover RM420 million from 80 individuals and entities that received money from 1MDB.

Meanwhile, in another development, Azam also confirmed that two Felda officers had been arrested for abuse of power in connection to the purchase of a stadium in Jengka, Pahang. He said the two had been remanded for five days and the case was being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.

“The investigation is on-going…. let the investigators complete it first,” he added. — Bernama