Malaysia’s ex-PM faces new raps over $681-M bank balance

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) —Malaysia’s detained former prime minister Najib Razak will face at least two dozen fresh charges of abuse of power and money laundering over the multimillion-dollar looting of a state investment fund, police and the anti-graft agency said yesterday.

Najib was detained by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday over the transfer of $681 million into his bank account and was expected in court later yesterday. Najib, who has since been transferred into police custody, has called the case political vengeance.

In a statement, national deputy police chief Noor Rashid Ibrahim said 21 charges prepared against Najib involve receiving, using and transferring of illicit funds.

Najib will also face several charges under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, according to the anti-graft agency. It did not give details, but the section deals with the abuse of power.

Najib was earlier charged with multiple counts of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering over the scandal involving the 1MDB fund, just months after his shocking electoral defeat. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is due to start next year.

Najib set up 1MDB when he took power in 2009 to promote economic development, but the fund amassed billions in debts and is being investigated in the United States and several other countries for alleged cross-border embezzlement and money laundering.

The 1MDB scandal first broke in 2015 when leaked documents showed that $681 million was transferred into Najib’s bank account, leading to massive street rallies calling on him to resign. Najib fired critics in his government, including a deputy prime minister and the attorney-general, and muzzled the media to try to survive the fallout.