(July 10): All reports by the media on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) will be investigated, says the task force in charge of probing the alleged transfer of funds to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The task force in a statement today said it took the matter seriously and will record statements from all the relevant parties.

“In relations to the exposures made in the media on the issue of 1MDB, all the revelations are being taken seriously by the task force, and investigations and statements will be taken from all the relevant parties," the statement read.

The task force consists of Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.

It reiterated that investigations on 1MDB were being conducted in a transparent, independent and professional manner.

"The special task force hopes that all parties will not question the integrity of Bank Negara, the police and MACC in carrying out their duties and functions in the investigation," the statement added.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that some US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) ended up in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts in two transactions on March 21 and 25 in 2013, ahead of the general election in May that year.

The business daily also uploaded documents used in its report which showed instructions for telegraphic transfers and charts showing the money trail.

The special task force probing the allegations confirmed that Najib had accounts at AmBank, but the two accounts had been closed before the WSJ broke the story.

Najib has since denied taking 1MDB funds for “personal use” but has not commented directly on the transfer of the money into his accounts.

He instead blamed former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for masterminding the latest allegations.

The task force has since frozen six bank accounts, though none of them are owned by the prime minister. – The Malaysian Insider