KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) must take action over the leaked documents that was the basis for the Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) claim that billions from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) ended up in the prime minister’s accounts.

Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said that if the documents about account holders could be leaked, it also meant that BNM’s system could be compromised.

“This is not so much about the VVIP accounts that are in question, but it shows that the system is open to abuse when there is no confidentiality.

“I expect Bank Negara to be responsible and to take action,” she said in an interview with local daily New Straits Times (NST).

She added that a security breach of that extent should not have happened as it could affect the country’s image to foreigners and investors.

“There is no excuse and the snowball effect is big… This must be curbed and it should not have happened,” she was quoted saying.

In a report last month, US-based daily WSJ, citing documents from Malaysian investigators currently scrutinising the troubled 1MDB’s financials, claimed that a money trail showed that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) were moved among government agencies, banks and companies before it ended up in Najib’s accounts.



Najib has repeatedly denied taking funds from 1MDB or any other public entity for “personal gain” and his lawyers have since asked the WSJ to state if it is accusing the prime minister of misappropriating funds.



The special taskforce leading a separate probe on 1MDB said last week that two bank accounts held by Najib in AmBank were already closed long before an investigation was launched against the misappropriation.


Separately, Kuala Kedah Umno division chief Datuk Abdullah Hasnan told NST that the act of leaking BNM documents went against laws such as the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 and Financial Services Act 2013 and as such, action should be taken accordingly.

“Action must be taken against those found guilty as it can tarnish the image of the country’s finance and banking sector.

“The economy is at stake as foreign investors may lose interest and confidence,” he was quoted saying.

Hulu Selangor Umno division chief Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan was also quoted by NST as saying that all information from banking institutions, including that of BNM, should remain confidential or it will jeopardise the client’s confidence which will in turn affect the Malaysia’s good reputation in the financial sector.