Malaysian authorities have frozen six bank accounts as part of an investigation into allegations that hundreds of millions of US dollars were transferred from a state investment fund to the personal accounts of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Malaysian Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail yesterday said that a special task force investigating the investment fund 1MDB for alleged impropriety has also seized documents related to 17 accounts at two banks for further investigation.
The task force also took documents related to non-compliance with Malaysian central bank rules by the two banks, he said in a statement that was also signed by the central bank governor, the nation’s police chief and the head of the anti-corruption agency.
The statement did not name the banks or say who owns the accounts.
The statement said the frozen accounts belong to “parties believed to be involved in this case.”
It said the investigation is continuing.
Abdul Gani confirmed on the weekend he had received documents from investigators that link Najib and 1MDB funds. The existence of the documents, which allegedly show US$700 million was wired from entities linked to 1MDB into Najib’s accounts, was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
The documents sent to Abdul Gani pave the way for possible criminal charges and have embroiled Najib in the biggest crisis of his political career. Najib was already under increasing criticism over his leadership, particularly from former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
If charged, Najib would be the first Malaysian prime minister to face a criminal prosecution.
He has denied taking any money for personal gain and said the allegations are part of a political plot to remove him. He has said he is consulting his lawyers about the next course of action following the “malicious accusations.”
1MDB has said it had never provided any funds to Najib.
The investment fund, set up by Najib in 2009 to develop new industries, has accumulated 42 billion ringgit (US$11 billion) in debt after its energy ventures abroad faltered.
Critics, led by Mahathir, have voiced concerns about 1MDB’s massive debt and lack of transparency.
Opposition lawmakers and civil groups yesterday repeated calls for Najib to take a leave of absence as prime minister to ensure the investigation can be carried out without fear or favor.
“This has shaken the credibility of the elected government,” opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
The opposition will call for a special parliamentary debate, she said.
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