KUALA LUMPUR: Authorities looking into the RM2.6 billion that allegedly went into former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) have revised the actual sum.
The RM2.6 billion, which Najib had maintained was “donated” to him, was merely a baseline figure for the investigations, sources with direct knowledge of the case said.
They added that they were now looking at a total sum of between RM3 billion and RM3.5 billion.
The New Straits Times asked Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Chief Commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki, if the RM2.97 billion, which Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim on Thursday said had found its way into Najib’s accounts, was the same funds that the commission was looking at.
“From 2015, the sum of RM2.6 billion, which Najib received through his account, was just the basis of the predicate offence in the 1MDB scandal. Najib has also confirmed this (of receiving the money) on his social media (accounts),” said Azam.
“MACC and police have been coordinating our investigations. But MACC cannot reveal the actual sum and details. We will hear about it in court.
“Where the MACC probe is concerned, we have forensics evidence of the flow of money into Najib’s accounts between 2011 and 2014.”
Azam said the commission had, in the past, committed to the figure RM2.6 billion as it had established strong forensics evidence linked to the monies believed to have been laundered from 1MDB.
“It is normal, in the course of investigations, for investigators to find that the sum they were looking at is actually larger than they had suspected.
“So, in this case, yes, it is bigger than the RM2.6 billion. I don’t want to comment on the amount mentioned by the deputy inspector-general of police, but we could be looking at more.”
On Noor Rashid’s revelation that police were probing at least 50 people believed to have benefited from money laundered from 1MDB, Azam declined to divulge the names of those involved, but confirmed what Noor Rashid said, adding that they had indeed benefited from the monies.
He declined to comment on the commission’s findings, when the police said they found the monies that went into Najib’s accounts were from Good Star, Aabar and Tanore.
On Najib’s claims that he had returned the monies “donated” to him, Azam said: “Did he mention the name of the person he returned the money to?
“Whatever Najib wants to say on Facebook, that’s his right. But let MACC hold our cards (findings) close to our chest for now and let the attorney-general decide whether or not to charge Najib.
“Let us just wait for the results of our investigations. Then you will know. Soon.”
Sources with knowledge on the investigation said it could be corroborated that the money came and was sent back to Tanore Finance Corporation.
“There was this big question mark for investigators, as they have aestablished that these monies came from 1MDB and was sent back to Low Taek Jho (fugitive Malaysian financier, better known as Jho Low) and that he (Jho Low), had misused the funds.
“How he used the monies, it is already all out there,” the source said.
Another set of sources who shared with the NST the building of the case involving Najib said the facts of the case alone were about 250 pages long.
With more than 130 witness statements recorded to date, among those who could be lined up to take the stand as prosecution witnesses included representatives of banks, the Treasury as well as 1MDB.
“Najib may be answering to more money-laundering charges before the end of the month,” one of the sources said.