Azam: Investigation into 1MDB fund is 60% complete

PUTRAJAYA: The investigation into the controversial 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) fund is 60% complete, says Datuk Seri Azam Baki.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission ( MACC) deputy chief commissioner said it has finished gathering evidence in Malaysia and is now looking to gather more evidence overseas.

“Now, I can say that it’s about 60% completed, so the rest is all evidence we need from foreign countries.

“Our investigations overseas involve many countries, including the United States and Singapore,” he told a press conference at the MACC headquarters yesterday.

At least six countries, including Malaysia, the United States and Switzerland, are investigating an alleged misappropriation of 1MDB funds amounting to about RM17bil.

In late 2015, the MACC discovered that RM42mil had been transferred from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB, into the personal bank accounts of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when he was still prime minister.

This is in addition to the RM2.6bil deposited into Najib’s personal bank accounts earlier.

Najib denied any wrongdoing, saying that the RM2.6bil was a donation from an unnamed Saudi prince before the 2013 general election and that RM2.5bil had been returned to the donor after the polls.

Pakatan Harapan launched a fresh investigation when it took over Putrajaya after the May 9 general election.

It formed a 1MDB special taskforce, comprising former attorney general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull and former chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, as well as former Special Branch deputy director Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador.

More than 400 bank accounts of individuals, political parties and NGOs involving a total of RM1.1bil were frozen during the investigation.

Some accounts, including Najib’s, were later unfrozen after it was discovered that they had no links to 1MDB.

The government has also seized the RM1bil superyacht Equanimity belonging to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, believed to be bought using money stolen from 1MDB.

Meanwhile, on whether the MACC will take action against embattled former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, Azam said they would let him first recover from his medical treatment before deciding on further action.

“He is currently warded in hospital and we will let him recover and heal. We will decide on what course of action to take once he recovers,” Azam said.

Musa is believed to be warded at a private hospital in Subang Jaya.

He returned to Malaysia on a private jet from Singapore last week. He is believed to have been in Britain for three months after vanishing from Sabah at the end of May.

The police are also investigating Musa over a criminal intimidation report lodged by Sabah Yang diPertua Negri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin on May 14.