1MDB Scandal Task Force Report - Prime Minister's account closed before freeze

PRESS RELEASE

SPECIAL TASK FORCE INVESTIGATION RELATING TO ALLEGATIONS OF FUNDS TRANSMITTED TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THE PRIME MINISTER

On 8 July 2015 at 9.40am, the Special Task Force investigating the allegations of funds transmitted to the accounts of the Prime Minister raided the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) office at Menara IMC in Kuala Lumpur. The search of the premises was completed at 6.45 pm.

The Attorney General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, informed that the Special Task Force team obtained the materials required for its investigation including the minutes of meetings of the 1MDB Board of Directors, the Minute Book, bank statements and other bank details, reconciliation statements, ledger books, agreements of business and investment dealings, and files on 1MDB’s corporate social responsibility activities. The team also seized several notebook computers.

Regarding the freeze orders issued on 6 July 2015 against six bank accounts,  no bank accounts at AmBank Islamic held by the Prime Minister on that date were frozen because the bank accounts had already been closed on 30 August 2013 and 9 March 2015 respectively. The Special Task Force has obtained bank documents related to these accounts.

The Attorney General emphasized that all investigation documents received by the Attorney General are provided by the Special Task Force. Therefore, there is no issue of the Attorney General using documents published in the Wall Street Journal or elsewhere.

Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail

Attorney General Malaysia

Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz 

Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia

Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar

Inspector General of Police 

Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed  

Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission

9 July 2015

1MDB - You think we are stupid, THINK again!

PAS said today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had bungled when explaining the scope of the special task force set up to investigate claims that funds had been channelled into his personal accounts.

Party deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that by doing so, Najib as the person accused in the probe had invited the perception that the special task force was not an independent entity.

"He made a mistake when he himself explained the scope of the investigations of the special task force.

"His statement invites the perception that the special task force is not independent, under orders or reporting the investigations to him... This is not right and not good for Najib's efforts in clearing his name.

"This action is even worse than the fact that the four individuals heading the probe – Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chairman Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz – are working under him," the PAS leader said in a statement.

He said that PAS once again urged Najib to go on leave pending investigations, to ensure that the probe currently underway would be seen as "clean". - Source 

Najib: Task Force Investigating Whether I Used 1MDB Funds For My Own Interests 

Azreen HaniThursday, July 9, 2015

Writing in his blog, Najib repeated his statement that he had never taken money

 for his own interest. (Pic by Hafzi Mohamed/TMR)

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak said yesterday that the task force investigating the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report against him was investigating whether he used funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd for his own interests.

Writing in his blog, Najib repeated his statement that he had never taken money for his own interest.

“The investigations that is being undertaken by the special task force is to determine whether accusations made by the WSJ that I have taken 1MDB funds for my own interest has basis or not,” he said.

“The investigations must take into account the veracity of the documents that have been published to support the newspaper’s allegations.” The combined task force was formed by members of the Attorney General’s office, Bank Negara Malaysia, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency.

Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail announced the task force investigations had never revealed the scope and intent of its investigations.

The WSJ published reports alleging that some US$700 million (RM2.67 billion) found its way into the personal bank accounts of Najib. It did not say what the money was being used for. - TMR

My advice to Najib Razak - If you think Malaysians are stupid, please continue issuing such statements. I reproduce below a reader's comment in my previous posting. 

I hope this could open your eyes and give you an inkling as to what the public think about this whole 1MDB scandal and you as the main suspect.

"How effective is the special task force when they report to the PM?

"Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today said the scope of the special task force investigating The Wall Street Journal's claims against him, were whether he used 1MDB funds for his personal interest."

How can the suspect dictates terms to the task force investigating him (PM).

That is why Najib must take leave of absence or resign from his PM post immediately in order not to invalidate the integrity of the task force.  

Hello, you 4 Tan Sris on the task force why are you not "advising" Najib to leave?

The task force must investigate why the funds were deposited in Najib's personal accounts in the first place. 

There is already no question about this, that the funds were deposited in his personal accounts.

If they were deposited mistakenly by the bank, why didn’t he inform the bank immediately to rectify the mistake?

Otherwise, he is fully aware of the deposits and he must explain specifically where the funds came from. Till now he has not provided any information on these funds.

Isn’t this not an offence under the Anti-Money Laundering Act?  

Simple direct question requires a simple direct answer:

Did the money go into your account? Yes or no? Why do you keep saying "no money was used for your personal gain?" YOu have never denied that the money was deposited into your private accounts.

Why was the funds transferred into Najib's personal accounts if it was not for his use? Personal use, not personal use is totally irrelevant.Why did Bank Negara remain silent about such huge transfers since 2013? The murdered founder of AmBank made reports to Bank Negara, what happened to the reports? - Anon 

Meanwhile in Indonesia... 

1MDB scandal - Should the Prime Minister be barred from leaving the country ?

Must be the first time in modern history that a multi-agency task force led by none other than the Attorney General himself has started an extensive probe into some 'wild allegations'.

We shall place our full confidence and trust in the task force and on the shoulders of the no-nonsense Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail.

While the AG and his task force are conducting their extensive probe that includes poking their nose deep into those personal accounts in local banks, the Malaysian currency is taking a bad hit. 

Ringgit has hit a 16-year low against the US Dollar followings news of Najib's 'wild allegations' making world headlines. 

News Alerts today read :-
- 'Malaysian Ringgit hit a 16-year low on Monday as political tensions mounted over a report that linked Prime Minister Najib Razak to probes into alleged corruption involving state fund 1MDB' 

- The Ringgit fell to as low as 3.8070 per US dollar, its weakest since May 1999. Two of Malaysia's main Opposition parties on Sunday demanded an emergency sitting of Parliament to discuss Mr Najib's future - Straits Times Singapore.

The share market is not spared by Najib's 'wild allegations' either. Slightly before noon the KLCI was down 21.02 points to 1,713.22. 

MIDF research reports that - Foreign selling persists, Year-to-day outflow stood at RM9 billion.

Wild allegations or not a friend from Bangkok called this morning saying that some newspapers in Pattaya have been speculating that Najib might do a Thaksin to save himself. 

I didn't ask him exactly what he meant, simply not wanting to discuss our domestic scandal with a foreigner but 'doing a Thaksin' at this point of time could not mean too many things.

I hope the Attorney General and the special multi-agency task force probing Najib's 'wild allegations' have taken the necessary steps to prevent anyone 'doing a Thaksin' while graft and or abuse of power investigations are underway. 

To prevent speculation and allegations of cover up and such, it would be wise for the powerful task force to freeze, with immediate effect, all local and foreign assets/properties plus bank accounts linked to the prime suspects in this major investigation. 

We must accept the fact that this investigation into the 'wild allegations' against the Prime Minister of Malaysia is being followed internationally. What was local has gone global i.e. glokal. 

In view of the seriousness of the 'wild allegations' against Najib, the task force must also prevent the Prime Minister and his close family members from leaving the country until the investigation is done with. 

All official foreign assignments of the Prime Minister could be handled by the Deputy Prime Minister and/or other relevant ministers. Unofficial assignments could wait.

If the Prime Minister and family are not barred from leaving Malaysia, 'wild allegations' and speculations will just gain momentum and take its toll on the ringgit and KLCI.

For those Malaysians who are still stuck in their own web, this is not about politics. This is about putting the interest of the nation and the 30-odd million people who depend on her before any other interests or considerations. This is about saving Malaysia from further slide and ridicule. This is about arresting the sliding level of confidence in us, Malaysia and Malaysians.

Thank you. 

p/s THAKSIN 

Kenyataan rasmi Timbalan Perdana Menteri

YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Haji Mohd Yassin
Timbalan Perdana Menteri

Saya berasa amat bimbang dengan pendedahan terkini Wall Street Journal mengenai beberapa akaun peribadi milik YAB Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abd. Razak yang didakwa telah menerima sejumlah wang daripada beberapa buah entiti yang dikatakan mempunyai hubungan dengan 1MDB.

Tuduhan ini amatlah berat kerana ia boleh menjejaskan kredibiliti dan integriti Dato' Seri Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri dan Ketua Kerajaan. Isu ini juga telah menarik perhatian rakyat serta media antarabangsa dan pastinya menyentuh kepentingan awam.

Oleh itu, saya berpendirian bahawa pihak berkuasa penyiasatan seperti Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) dan Polis Di Raja Malaysia (PDRM) dengan kerjasama Jabatan Peguam Negara perlu bertindak segera untuk menyiasat segala tuduhan yang dibuat terhadap Dato' Seri Najib. Saya yakin siasatan mengenai perkara ini akan dijalankan secara terperinci, telus dan bebas demi mencari kebenaran.

Oleh kerana tuduhan ini adalah bersifat peribadi, maka adalah wajar bagi Dato' Seri Najib untuk memberikan penjelasan yang meyakinkan atau membuat penafian. Sehubungan itu, saya menyambut baik kenyataan Dato' Seri Najib yang telah menafikan tuduhan yang dilemparkan terhadap beliau. Sekiranya beliau yakin semua tuduhan itu adalah tidak benar dan fitnah semata-mata, maka adalah wajar beliau mengambil tindakan undang-undang ke atas pihak-pihak yang membuat tuduhan demi membersihkan nama beliau dan mengembalikan kredibiliti kerajaan.

Sementara siasatan terperinci dijalankan, saya menyeru semua pihak supaya bertenang. Saya pasti kebenaran akan muncul hasil siasatan yang dijalankan oleh pihak berkuasa.

Saya berdoa mudah-mudahan di bulan Ramadhan Al-Mubarak ini, Allah s.w.t akan memberikan kita segala tawfiq dan hidayah untuk menyelesaikan segala kemelut yang berlaku dan mengurniakan kesejahteraan yang berkekalan kepada rakyat dan negara kita.

TAN SRI DATO' HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ MOHD YASSIN
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia

4 Julai 2015

1MDB SCANDAL - Prime Minister and Attorney General have seen documents quoted by Wall Street Journal?

Probe finds 1MDB money in Malaysia PM's accounts: WSJ

by CNBC Videos2:43 mins

Nearly $700 million of deposits were made into what are believed to be the personal bank accounts of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday citing documents from a government investigation.

Watch and listen to what the Wall Street Journal's Hong Kong Bureau Chief Ken Brown tells CNBC.

Mr Prime Minister, guess you have no other choice but to come clean of this explosive expose by the Wall Street Journal. There are no options. Stop all charades and shadow plays to demonise your critics.

You cannot continue to rely on paid spin masters and compromised advisors to help you out of this scandal. This expose is way too big for lowly spin masters and apple-polishers. 

If you, as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, had in fact channelled hundreds of millions of Ringgit into your personal bank account as exposed by WSJ, you must be really stupid. If you are indeed that stupid then you have no choice but to step down from all Government positions immediately. You could probably stay on as Umno president because I'm convinced that Umno deserves someone like you to bury the party. 

On the other hand, if the WSJ expose is all lies and just another sinister political sabotage to unseat you, then you as the Prime Minister of Malaysia must take all necessary legal actions to rectify the situation immediately. This is necessary to protect, not only yourself but also to protect the good name of our beloved nation. 

It is understandable that it would be a tough act to convince Malaysians to trust what you say but you have no choice but to tell the truth no matter what it is. If you have breached the law of this land, you must face the consequence. 

This is not just about you Mr Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, this is about the pride and honour of a once high-flying nation known as Malaysia.

You have brought about much disrepute to this nation of ours. Please do the necessary before it reaches a stage where you have to suffer public humiliation. We really don't wish to see a sitting Malaysian Prime Minister in handcuffs.

Thank you.

Also read -  SPRM sudah mulakan siasatan ke atas SRC International Sdn Bhd

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                         -  Liar, liar pants on fire. They lied to save 1MDB

                          -   4 Facts- WSJ Found Link Between 1MDB, Najib