Dr M: Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Ng to face action in US

PETALING JAYA: Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng will face action in the United States because he had committed the crime there, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said Ng had admitted to his crime and that it is for him to face action in the United States over irregular financial transactions over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

He was asked to confirm whether Malaysia would extradite Ng to the United States.

On Nov 14, Bukit Aman said the police had obtained a 60-day remand order following Ng’s arrest on Nov 1 in Malaysia and that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) would have to complete all the documents for extradition within the remand period.

The DoJ had also charged Ng’s former col- league, Tim Leissner, alongside fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, over funds misappropriated from 1MDB and paying bribes to various Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials.

Dr Mahathir said that he had no knowledge of the bidding for the yacht Equanimity, which closed yesterday.

“I also want to buy but I don’t have enough money,” he added.

Low, the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB scandal, was said to have bought the yacht for US$250mil using the misappropriated funds and it was put up for auction to regain the funds.

On a different matter, Dr Mahathir announced that Bagan Serai MP Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali has joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.