KUALA LUMPUR — Shortly after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced plans to summon Prime Minister Najib Razak to explain RM2.6 billion (S$927.5 million) of political donations made to his personal bank accounts, police raided the offices of MACC’s Special Operations Division yesterday to gather evidence on the alleged leak of documents over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe.

Police arrived at the MACC headquarters in the evening after interrogating three senior graftbusters. According to Malaysian media reports, two MACC officers have been detained but it is uncertain what the police are looking for. One of those arrested is believed to be an officer directly involved in the investigation on SRC International, a former subsidiary of state investment firm 1MDB.

The raid came shortly after a press statement by MACC confirming that Middle Eastern donors had deposited RM2.6 billion (S$927.5 million) into Mr Najib’s personal bank accounts, although the agency refused to disclose the identities of the donors. The commission also announced that it would summon Mr Najib to explain the RM2.6 billion donation.

“MACC has obtained an explanation from the donors who originated from the Middle East, and they have verified the donation. The RM2.6 billion donation has no connection at all to 1MDB,” the anti-graft commission reiterated in the press release.

MACC also said that they were asked by the Attorney-General to clarify the issue. “We also had discussions with the Attorney-General, who asked us to explain the matter while the probe was still ongoing.”

“We would also like to state that we would be calling Prime Minister Najib Razak to give an explanation on the donation he received,” the agency said.

The MACC added that the special taskforce probing state-owned 1MDB had been dissolved by the newly appointed Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali on Monday, prior to the anti-corruption agency’s issuance of a press statement on the same day confirming the existence of the funds in Mr Najib’s accounts, and clarifying that the monies had come from donors and not 1MDB, as previously alleged.

MACC is part of a special task force set up by the government last month to look into allegations by The Wall Street Journal based on leaked documents from government sources, that up to RM2.6 billion has been transferred from 1MDB-linked companies into Mr Najib’s personal bank accounts in the lead up to the 2013 general elections. Other agencies in the task force included the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bank Negara and the Royal Malaysian Police.

The commission added in its press statement that while the special task force has been dissolved, “the investigating agencies involved can carry out their duties according to their respective laws”. It said the agencies in the special task force had their own internal investigation teams, and will now submit their respective findings to the Attorney-General for the latter to decide on whether prosecution wouldbe initiated.

1MDB has been in the spotlight after it amassed more than RM42 billion in debt. In addition to the special taskforce probe, the firm is under inquiry by a bipartisan Public Accounts Committee.

The MACC’s statement on Monday on the RM2.6 billion political donation to Mr Najib has triggered a flurry of responses from activists and opposition lawmakers, who demanded that the commission investigate the donation for possible corruption and money-laundering.

It was believed the funds were used for ruling coalition Barisan Nasional’s 2013 general elections campaign, but opponents have pointed out that this would be illegal asRM2.6 billion far surpasses the legal limit allowed by Malaysia’s election laws. AGENCIES