Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (June 23): Textile group Jakel has come out to defend its dealings with the former prime minister and the Prime Minister's Office, saying they were nothing more than "genuine" business transactions done at arm's length -- supported by proper documents -- for the supply of jubah fabrics for various charity programmes.

The group operates Jakel Trading and Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, who were among 41 individuals and entities that had been served a civil forfeiture suit by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on Friday to recover RM270 million of funds allegedly misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

According to MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya, the funds were disbursed via an AmBank account opened under the name of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Let it be clear that the transactions referred to were orders that we received from the former Prime Minister and also from the previous Prime Minister’s office (PMO) for Jakel to supply jubah fabrics that the former Prime Minister and PMO had organized for all their charity programmes (for imams, tahfiz etcetera and to more than 7,000 mosques around the country, and supply of clothing for flood victims between 2011 and 2014), well before any issues pertaining to 1MDB came to our knowledge," Jakel said in a statement on Saturday.

"Jakel received the payment after we delivered the goods. All payments for goods sold/delivered, we accept in good faith and we are not in the position to question the source of the said funds unless there was clear evidence that the same were ill-gotten funds. Any issue of money laundering is totally beyond our knowledge. Our stand is very clear, to offer our utmost commitment and cooperation towards the government and MACC in order to restore Jakel’s image," the company added.

Jakel stressed that it had no prior knowledge whatsoever with regards to the money issues mentioned by the MACC, and that Jakel has never been involved in any money laundering scheme.

It added that it has been providing MACC all relevant valid documents related to the transactions and that the company is committed to continue to assist the anti-graft body, "as we have done so throughout the investigation to this date".
 
Jakel further said it is committed to perform its business in a responsible manner, and stressed that it has nothing to gain from either illegal or unethical business practices. 

"Jakel’s core businesses are textile and textile-related products on retail and wholesale trading. We carry out our bona fide activities in good faith where all customers are treated equally. All our sales are properly invoiced and payments are accepted likewise, in good faith," it added.
 

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