‘Don’t make press statements, file affidavits instead’ BANTING:

The 41 people and entities named in a civil suit by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to recover RM270 million of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) money have been advised to stop making press releases.

Instead, newly-minted Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Latheefa Koya said they should file affidavits to be used as evidence in court.

“A civil action report requires those who have been named as respondents to file affidavits of their answers, and then we leave it to the court to go through the process.

“There’s no point making comments publicly through the media because all those comments need to be reduced to a sworn affidavit, and only then, will it be used as evidence in court,” she said here yesterday.

Latheefa was commenting on MACC’s civil forfeiture applications filed on June 19 to recover money allegedly transferred from 1MDB to the respondents.

On Saturday, Jakel Trading and Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, which were named in the suit, released a statement saying that they were not involved in the 1MDB scandal.

A day before, Naza Group and Habib Jewels also released press statements, pledging to cooperate with the MACC.

On certain quarters questioning why there were only 41 recipients instead of 408 that was reported earlier, Latheefa said the anti-graft agency had never said that was the only list.

On July 3 last year, MACC had said there were 408 names on its list of people and organisations who received money from 1MDB.

“We have listed out 41 entities and individuals, but we never said that was the final list. So there is no need to jump to conclusions,” she said.