Former Malaysian officials probed over 1MDB funds: Report

PETALING JAYA • Malaysia's former central bank governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop are being investigated over ties to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds, says a local media report.

Mingguan Malaysia, quoting a source, reported yesterday that police are also investigating Tan Sri Zeti's husband Tawfiq Ayman over allegations that he received funds related to 1MDB.

The source said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation focused more on the receipt of money in Datuk Tawfiq's account in Singapore after RM5 billion (S$1.6 billion) was raised by 1MDB in 2009 via the Ambank Group.

The matter came to light when the MACC sought to recover 1MDB's assets both locally and abroad involving several "big names" associated with the sovereign wealth fund.

The value of some 1MDB's assets abroad - such as in Switzerland, Kuwait, Mauritius, Cyprus and Hong Kong - are worth RM20.5 billion, the report said.

"The involvement of these individuals was identified when the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of Singapore on Nov 12 returned the money belonging to the former CEO of SRC International Sdn Bhd, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, to the Malaysian government through the Asset Recovery Trust Account of the Finance Ministry worth RM3,617,513.91," it added.

The Malay daily noted that Singapore had earlier returned RM64.42 million of assets involving the Cutting Edge Industries account owned by Mr Tawfiq and his business partner Samuel Goh.

Regarding the probe into Ms Zeti and Tan Sri Nor Mohamed, the source said the MACC is investigating allegations of misconduct, with the report noting that every investment involving 1MDB funds at that time was done with Mr Nor Mohamed's knowledge.

The source said the MACC is investigating the individuals under the MACC Act 2009 and the Money Laundering Act 2001, the report added.

When contacted, MACC Money Laundering Division director Mohammad Zamri Zainul Abidin confirmed receiving a complaint from an NGO urging that an investigation be carried out on Ms Zeti and Mr Nor Mohamed on Dec 22.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK