Malaysian police yesterday searched former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s home and other places linked to him in connection with an investigation into scandal-plagued state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Police entered Najib’s family home late on Wednesday night, an extraordinary scene that thousands watched unfold as it was streamed live.
Royal Malaysian Police Commercial Crime Investigations Director Amar Singh said that searches were being carried out at the home, at the prime minister’s office and a residence he had used, as well as two apartments owned by his family.
Photo: AFP
“We are in the midst of collecting information, we will have more details once we have completed our search,” he said, confirming that the searches were related to investigations into the 1MDB scandal that has dogged Najib since 2015.
Authorities in at least six countries, including the US, are investigating the multibillion-dollar scandal over the fund that Najib founded. Najib has for years denied any wrongdoing in connection with the fund.
A lawyer for Najib, Harpal Singh Grewal, yesterday afternoon said the police search had gone on for almost 18 hours and was “harassment.”
Najib had indicated he was “prepared and willing to extend his fullest cooperation” to authorities, but their long presence and the drilling open of a long-unopened safe suggested “unwarranted harassment,” Grewal said.
Police had found “nothing incriminating,” but took away some personal items, including handbags and clothing, he said.
“This harassment has now continued for almost 18 hours and nothing meaningful has come from the search and seizure of what would appear to be insignificant personal items,” he said.
A police truck packed with big, blue boxes left the compound of the house yesterday afternoon, eyewitnesses said.
There was no immediate word on what was in the boxes.
New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has barred Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country.
Najib was once a protege of Mahathir, 92, who now says there is sufficient evidence to investigate the scandal at 1MDB.
Asked about the searches at a news conference, Mahathir said it was a police matter, and he had little information.
“I suppose the police have enough reasons to raid,” he said.
US authorities have alleged that more than US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB in a fraud orchestrated by a financier known to be close to Najib and his family.
A Malaysian government advisory panel set up by Mahathir yesterday said that it would form a committee to look into matters related to 1MDB.
In related news, former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said he expects Najib to be jailed over the graft scandal.
A day after he was released from prison, where he was sent in 2015 on what supporters say were trumped-up charges leveled at Najib’s behest — Anwar also said he would be back in parliament very soon.
He also predicted that Najib would likely take up the spot he had just vacated in prison.
“He will certainly be charged,” Anwar said. “It will be very difficult for him to escape prison.”
Additional reporting by AFP
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