This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on May 25, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The 1MDB Investigation Task Force said yesterday the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice (DoJ) have agreed to offer their full cooperation to the Malaysian authorities in the latter’s ongoing investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

In a statement, the 1MDB Investigation Task Force said it met with representatives of the two US agencies yesterday morning.

“Among the issues raised were how the FBI had sent an application letter, dated Nov 13, 2016, to then chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, but the application has yet to receive a reply until today (yesterday).

“The DoJ also confirmed that it previously made a request, through a MLA (mutual legal assistance) to Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali on Sept 22, 2017,” the special task force said.

“However, this request was not fulfilled and delayed; the reason given was that it would affect ongoing investigations by Malaysian enforcement authorities.

“That is why no cooperation has been given until today (yesterday),” the task force said, adding that further meetings among the three agencies for assistance in the 1MDB investigation will be conducted from time to time.

The 1MDB Investigation Task Force is jointly led by former attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, newly appointed MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull and Federal Special Branch director Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador.