M'sian police won't probe Muhyiddin video: Khalid

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar today (July 30) said his men would not investigate a secret video recording of former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who claimed in it that Prime Minister Najib Razak had admitted to a US$700 million (S$956 million) injection into his personal bank accounts from companies linked to state-owned firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Speaking to reporters today, Mr Khalid refused to comment on the video that was leaked yesterday, saying he alone had no authority to order a probe into the leaked video, as everything concerning 1MDB is under the purview of the special task force investigating the firm. “Anything to do with 1MDB you have to ask the task force. It is beyond my powers. I am not going to comment on (the) task force’s investigation. Not on 1MDB, not on the video,” he said, when asked if the police would act on the latest revelation.

1MDB, which is being audited by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee over its RM42 billion (S$15.1 billion) debt racked up in the past five years, came under investigation earlier this month by a special task force, comprising the Attorney-General’s Chambers, central bank, federal police and anti-graft agency.

Today, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission issued a statement saying it was not involved in investigating 1MDB, but as part of the task force, was probing former 1MDB subsidiary, SRC International.

The task force was formed following reports by the Wall Street Journal alleging that up to US$700 million had been transferred to two AmBank accounts under Mr Najib’s name.

In a video released last night, Mr Muhyiddin seemed to be recounting to guests at his home about how Mr Najib had purportedly admitted that US$700 million had been transferred from 1MDB to his personal accounts. The secret video recording came only a day after Mr Muhyiddin was unceremoniously sacked from his post as Deputy Prime Minister.

A deputy minister today defended Mr Najib, expressing confidence that the Premier would not let false claims taint his name. “This is a very serious allegation. I don’t think Najib will ignore it ... He will explain, just be patient,” Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was quoted as saying by the media.

Meanwhile, opposition Democratic Action Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today challenged Mr Najib to come clean. “It is a very serious allegation by Muhyiddin, so Najib must explain. Have a tell-all and show-all press conference. He has to show he has nothing to hide,” Mr Lim told reporters. AGENCIES