KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) chief Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz said today she was not among the seven staff of the central bank who were questioned by the police over the purported information leak related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The central bank governor confirmed that the seven recorded statements with the police, and said they will continue to work with the authorities if the need arises.

"BNM will always give its cooperation to law enforcement agencies," she said at a news conference when asked if she had been summoned for questioning.

Zeti added that she was not in the country when police questioned her officers, though it is unclear when the seven were summoned to give their statements.

Earlier this month, police announced that they would haul up several BNM officers for questioning in their probe on the alleged leak of secret government information to Sarawak Report (SR).

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the matter in a statement but did not divulge further details on the number of individuals to be summoned, as well as their identities.

The announcement came after police took statements from a former advisor with the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), a deputy public prosecutor with the agency and an officer from the Attorney-General’s Chambers in relation to the case.

Zeti today also said that the central bank is in the midst of identifying the individuals who spread allegations that she and BNM were involved in a purported plot to topple Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Zeti roundly denied the claims and warned that BNM will take legal action against the perpetrators of the allegations.

"Many of these allegations made are by anonymous (people)... we have some idea and leads as to who they are, but they have been anonymous.

"We will seek out to identify who they are and seek out legal action," she said.