KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz has denied today that she or her family received money from the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), saying such allegations false and malicious.
Zeti said she has given all the cooperation in the issues relating to 1MDB criminal case, which she said have been fully and thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities, namely BNM, the police and Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission (MACC).
“I am unable to make any further statements as I am a potential witness in the ongoing criminal trial of the former prime minister,” she said in a statement, referring to Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“It would therefore in my view be an interference with the ongoing trial and potentially sub-judice for me to make any statements at this juncture.
“I wish to reiterate that my family and I have never received any sums of money from 1MDB. The allegations against me and my family are completely false and malicious,” she added.
On December 29, former prime minister Najib had challenged Zeti to respond to a blog post claiming her family had received over RM100 million from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, which included 1MDB funds.
The convicted prime minister who is also facing other 1MDB-related charges, said it was Zeti who had advised him to open an account under his own name.
MalaysiaToday, operated by fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin had alleged that a senior officer at AmInvestment Bank Bhd allegedly conspired to help two companies linked to Low to generate millions in profits from 1MDB bonds.
The issuance of RM5 billion worth of bonds, supposedly for the development of Pulau Bidong together with the United Arab Emirates government’s investment arm, Mubadala, was conducted on the advice of the Terengganu Investment Authority.
The money earned from the bond was used to pay US$1 billion for a PetroSaudi joint venture. Investigators of the case confirmed that US$700 million was transferred to Good Star Ltd, a company also linked to Low.
Low was later charged with transferring millions of dollars to various individuals and entities including Zeti’s husband, Tawfiq Ayman, through Cutting Edge Industries Ltd, in a letter dated March 13, 2019.
In July 2018, Zeti, who is also Permodalan Nasional Bhd chairman, had openly denied her involvement in the RM2.6 billion found in Najib’s BNM account.
