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UMNO MP calls for anti-corruption task force to investigate WSJ claims against Najib

KUALA LUMPUR — An UMNO lawmaker wants a special Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) task force to investigate allegations that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds were channelled into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives to break fast at Saujana Menteri Besar in Malaysia's southern state of Johor July 3, 2015. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives to break fast at Saujana Menteri Besar in Malaysia's southern state of Johor July 3, 2015. Photo: Reuters

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KUALA LUMPUR — An UMNO lawmaker wants a special Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) task force to investigate allegations that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds were channelled into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts.

Kepala Batas MP Reezal Merican Naina Merican said although the PM’s office quickly denied the allegations when the Wall Street Journal published the report, there was no clear statement from Bank Negara nor Ambank, the bank where Mr Najib’s personal account purportedly is, thus creating a “vacuum” in disputing the allegations.

“This special task force must act on national interests and never submit to the pressure of any individual or media,” Mr Reezal said in a statement today (July 5).

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member said there should not be much focus on the question of who was behind the allegations, but instead focus must be given to determine the veracity of the claims first.

“What is more important is that our ground must be cleared of all these allegations.

“I would like to remind that such accusations have an impact on the trajectory of the people’s support for the government and party. So, it must be resolved quickly,” he added.

On Friday, business daily WSJ said investigations into the debt-ridden 1MDB had allegedly uncovered billions of ringgit pumped into Mr Najib’s personal accounts.

In their reports, both WSJ and whistle-blower site Sarawak Report had quoted documents from the 1MDB probe by the Malaysian government, with Sarawak Report claiming that the Attorney-General was also aware of the information.

The documents allegedly showed US$700 million (S$942.2 million) was moved among government agencies, banks and entities linked to 1MDB, which finally ended in the prime minister’s personal accounts at the AmPrivate Bank in Kuala Lumpur, in five separate deposits.

WSJ said the largest transactions were deposits of US$620 million and another one for US$61 million between March 2013 and February this year. The first transaction was done two months before the 13th general election.

Sarawak Report said RM42 million (S$15.0 million) had gone into Mr Najib’s accounts from SRC International, the Finance Ministry-owned company that had taken a RM4 billion loan from the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP).

The latest transaction, the reports said, was in February this year. The documents show that SRC International had transferred RM10 million into an account under the name of “Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Hj Abd Razak” at the AmPrivate Bank.

Mr Najib previously had blamed the WSJ report on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had become Mr Najib’s fiercest critic in recent months.

In a post in his Facebook page on Friday, Mr Najib had said the attacks began when he refused to implement Dr Mahathir’s personal demands, adding that Dr Mahathir then “created a crisis” by recklessly claiming that RM42 million was missing from 1MDB.

“I believe Tun, working hand in glove with foreign nationals, including the now discredited political attack blog Sarawak Report, is behind this latest lie,” he said.

He had denied the report, which claimed that some US$700 million of 1MDB funds were transferred to his personal account before the 2013 general election.

This is the first time Mr Najib has been directly linked to 1MDB’s woes, as the company sits on a RM42 billion debt. He is also chairman of its advisory board. THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

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