Najib claims MACC civil forfeiture lawsuit over 1MDB funds politically motivated

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has claimed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) 41 civil forfeiture suits to recover RM270 million belonging to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that was dispersed from his AmBank account is a political ploy to weaken the opposition.

He said the MACC had already investigated these companies for a year but could not prosecute any of them in a criminal case hence the government resorted to a civil lawsuit.

“I’m of the opinion that these latest steps taken by MACC are politically motivated in order to topple the opposition,” Najib posted on his Facebook page.

“After a year of MACC investigations they couldn’t pin a criminal case on anyone so now they (Pakatan Harapan government) have resorted to a civil lawsuit.”

New MACC chief Latheefa Koya in a press conference this morning said the MACC have succeeded in filing a forfeiture application under the Anti-Money Laundering Act to forfeit properties and monies that was dispersed or misused from 1MDB.

They have identified 41 individuals or entities as respondents and filed the case in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

The plan according to Latheefa was to recover at least RM270 million from monies given out to various individuals or entities. This includes political parties and Umno branches or divisions, companies and individuals.

Najib disputed this, and pointed out that one of the witnesses during his ongoing SRC International Sdn Bhd graft case has said the funds from an Arab prince amounting to RM304 million was deposited into his personal account by the Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia.

He also said the witness told the Court that the RM2.6 billion he received on April 2013 before the 14th general elections had been returned to the sender a few months prior.

“I was given freedom by the Saudi King to handle these funds,” Najib continued in his post.

“I chose to immediately use the money for welfare projects for the people through various NGO’s and political parties who were organising these events.

“The money wasn’t for personal use or for my family.”

Najib said two out of the 41 companies listed Jakel Trading and Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd were portrayed as high end clothing stores.

He said he and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor had been accused of spending up to RM55 million in luxury clothing and expensive clothes from these stores.

“The truth is these payments to Jakel were for clothing supplies bought through the NGO’s and to be distributed to more than 7,000 mosques throughout the country in conjunction with Ramadan for several years.

“This includes offerings to 14,254 spiritual leaders (Imam), 138,746 committee members at 7,261 mosques.

“So it’s weird when Jakel is also being prosecuted for receiving illicit funds when they were only providing supplies to Umno and the NGO’s for welfare programmes,” he added.