KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has recovered RM29.03 billion in funds and assets linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), which were subsequently returned to the government from 2019 to Feb 5 this year.
Of the total funds and assets recovered in the country and abroad, the MACC today said almost RM24 million in monies and funds were seized and recovered through confiscation processes, including court proceedings as well as voluntary surrenders involving five people between last year and Feb 5.
"The success in recovering the monies is the result of tracking and recovering of funds belonging to 1MDB by the MACC's Anti-Money Laundering Division from last year to Feb 5."
The bulk of funds and assets linked to 1MDB recovered during the period was made via an order issued by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday, the graft busters said.
The court, the MACC said, had ordered for the seizure of all assets in the country and Singapore worth some RM11 million belonging to Jerome Lee Tak Loong and his wife, Koay Ying Ying, who were accomplices of fugitive businessman Low Taek Low, better known as Jho Low.
"The application to forfeit the assets was made under Section 56 and Section 64 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001."
The MACC said three recoveries were made following the outcome of the trial of Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng at the Brooklyn Federal Court in the United States in February 2022.
On Nov 8 last year, the MACC said the Kuala Lumpur High Court had ordered the forfeiture of three condominium units worth RM7.05 million owned by Mohammad Kamal Yan Yahaya, the foreign affairs adviser to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Kamal, the MACC said, had received 1MDB funds through three projects — Magnolia, Maximus and Catalyze—into the company account of Spring Elite International Ltd at BSI Bank, Singapore, in which he has an interest.
On Sept 29 of the same year, US$972,251.25, equivalent to RM4,551,399.45, was voluntarily returned to the government by Najib's former special officer, Datuk Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin, via wire transfer from BSI Bank Switzerland.
On Aug 30 last year, the MACC recovered RM556,275.64 from 1MDB officer Nurzahid Taib, who had received the funds for two Maximus and Catalyze projects.
The monies, the MACC said, were deposited into the company account of Turquoise Coast Offshore Inc in which she has an interest.
Najib is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totaling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.