PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has served compound notices to 80 individuals and entities which received funds totalling RM420 million from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Its chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the highest individual recipient is former CIMB Bank chairman, Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who acquired RM25.7 million. Nazir is also the brother of former prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Solar Shine Sdn Bhd received RM134 million – the highest amount paid to an organisation. She added that the money received ranged from as low as RM500,000 to RM134 million.
The commission has confirmed that the RM420 million has been paid to these entities from Najib’s account. There a total 23 companies, nine individuals, 43 political parties and branches and five foundations/organisations.
"The money was paid via cheque that is why we could trail the money back to the 1MDB account. The money belongs to the people and we hope to recover as much as possible.
"We have received consent from the attorney-general and now we are in the process of serving the notice as we speak.
"All those received the notices, must pay the fine within two weeks from the date of the notice. If they think they don't enough time to pay, they can apply to request for an extension.
"The fine amount can be as low as the money they received from 1MDB or up to a maximum of 2.5 times higher under Section 92(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (AMLATFPUA) Act 2001,” she told a press conference today.
Latheefa said MACC had also opened investigation papers on the 80 individuals/organisations.
"We hope by the time they receive the notice, they will take it seriously and pay up," she said, adding that the move to recover the money was different from the civil forfeiture that MACC sought to recover RM270 million from 41 people and entities.
"In the last civil forfeiture, we had trailed the money to the accounts of the recipients and froze the account. From then, within 12 months, we cover the money in their bank accounts if the recipients can't explain the source of it.
"As for this case, under AMLATFPUA Act 2001, we are allowed to issue compound notices to fine as low as the money received or 2.5 times higher," she added.
Latheefa also said the list is not exhaustive and more will be revealed in future.
"The list is not exhaustive. We have more... but we have decided to take a cut off from RM500,000 and above.
"But there will be a compilation of political parties or foundations which may have received less than RM500,000.
"We have also taken out those have paid for actual charity, we will deal with that later," she added.