Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (July 21): Opposition lawmakers are calling for a special Parliament meeting before National Day (Aug 31) to establish an International Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, following news that the US government had initiated civil suits to seize assets linked to 1MDB.

Gelang Patah MP and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said the announcement made on the invocation of the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative in Washington last night had brought "shame and sorrow" to Malaysia's name.

"Yesterday morning, when it was reported that the US authorities were set to seize assets linked to 1MDB 'in the largest asset seizure in US history' in the war against global corruption, I asked whether yesterday's Cabinet meeting had discussed the breaking news in the US," he told a press conference today at DAP's headquarters here.

"I said that if these breaking news reports were true and correct, it would be a day of infamy for Malaysia — a culmination of the host of infamies which the country had suffered in the past year," he said, citing how Malaysia has been named the host of the third worst corruption scandal in 2015 by foreignpolicy.com and named the second worst example of current global corruption by Time Magazine.

Also present was Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, a frequent critic of 1MDB, who said: "We have a situation where the US has already filed charges of massive theft and misappropriation against 1MDB. But in Malaysia, they say there's no misappropriation. It is a ridiculous situation. The Malaysian government must admit that the money is missing and stolen."

At 11.30pm Malaysian time yesterday, US attorney-general Loretta E. Lynch, accompanied by other top US officials, told reporters the Justice Department had filed lawsuits on Wednesday to seize over US$1 billion (about RM4.05 billion) in assets that it said were the result of US$3.5 billion that was misappropriated from 1MDB.

She said the US$1 billion in assets were just a portion of the money that was stolen from 1MDB and laundered to American institutions, in violation of the United States law.

"The Department of Justice will not allow the American financial system to be used as a conduit for corruption. With this action, we are seeking to forfeit and recover funds that were intended to grow the Malaysian economy and support the Malaysian people.

"Instead, they were stolen, laundered through American financial institutions and used to enrich a few officials and their associates. Corrupt officials around the world should make no mistake that we will be relentless in our efforts to deny them the proceeds of their crimes," Lynch was quoted as saying.

In response, Najib's press secretary Datuk Seri Tengku Sariffuddin said this morning that the Malaysian government will fully cooperate with any lawful investigation of Malaysian companies or citizens in accordance with international protocols.

He said the 1MDB had been the subject of multiple investigations within Malaysia, including by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Auditor General and bi-partisan Public Accounts Committee.

"After comprehensive review, the Attorney General found that that no crime was committed. 1MDB is still the subject of an investigation by the Royal Malaysian Police," he said.

Tengku Sariffuddin said the government noted the United States Department of Justice's civil lawsuits brought against various assets, adding "as the Prime Minister has always maintained, if any wrongdoing is proven, the law will be enforced without exception".

Meanwhile, 1MDB said in a separate statement today that it is not a party to the civil suit, does not have any assets in the US, and has not benefited from the various transactions described in the civil suit.

It also said it had not been contacted by the US Department of Justice or any other foreign parties in relation to their investigations, adding it will cooperate with any foreign lawful authority to assist in the investigations.

 

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