PUTRAJAYA, Jan 30 — Malaysia can expect to receive the first payment on its claims from the billions stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) this year, Lim Guan Eng said today.

The finance minister said the sum will "not be in the billions” of ringgit, but is hopeful that the first payment indicates the inflow of more cash to come.

"Somewhere this year we can expect to receive the first payment from 1MDB,” he told reporters here.

He did not disclose the source or the schedule for the payment.

Lim made the announcement amid reports about illicit outflows that place Malaysia at the top of the world ranking if rated by per capita income.

In the Global Funds Integrity ranking, Malaysia took the third spot after China and Mexico.

The Pakatan Harapan administration is seeking to recoup some of the stolen funds from 1DMB, much of which had been used to buy properties, expensive artworks or stashed in accounts all over the world.

In September last year, a Singapore court ordered the return to Malaysia of about S$15.3 million (RM45.9 million), just a small portion of the total seized in the republic.