1MDB: Abu Kassim confirms MACC cooperates with FBI

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed today confirmed the agency was cooperating with the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Abu Kassim said MACC was investigating a businessman said to have cheated 1MDB and was also involved in laundering money before taking it to the US.

"As such, US sought our assistance and we only assisted as provided under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

"(Under the convention), agencies are required to give their cooperation and support when confronted with a crime involving several countries," he said when met by reporters after a working visit to the Kelantan MACC in Lundang here, today.

Also present was Kelantan MACC director Datuk Moh Samsuddin Yusof.

On Friday, MACC in a statement confirmed it was cooperating with FBI on 1MDB investigations.

However, the cooperation was only devoted to the possibility of money laundering by a businessman said to have duped 1MDB.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was reported as saying the government took a serious view of the civil suit on 1MDB by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). He said the matter was a civil action and not a criminal case and it was only limited to the names mentioned in the DOJ document.

Najib said the government would give its full cooperation to all international investigation bodies.