1MDB: Police also probing the issue, says IGP

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today the police were also conducting an investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) issue while the National Audit Department undertook an audit of the government-owned strategic development company.

Although the police had wanted to conduct the investigation if the audit detected irregularities, the special squad on the case that met last Friday decided to probe all information and reports pertaining to the issue, he said.

"As the police have received information and reports on the case, the special squad felt that we should undertake an investigation without having to wait for the report of the National Audit Department," he told reporters after flagging off participants of the 'Kayuh Malaysia' cycling event at Dataran Putrajaya here.

Khalid said that besides the Commercial Crimes Division, the special squad also had the assistance of the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

1MDB, established in 2009, became the focus of the media and the people following allegations of financial mismanagement.

On March 4, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak instructed the Auditor-General to independently verify the 1MDB accounts and said that if any wrongdoing was proven, the law would be enforced without exception.

On the BFM radio station having allegedly uploaded a video clip purportedly mocking the proposed implementation of hudud laws in Kelantan, Khalid said this was the second time that the English-language business radio station had ridiculed Islam.

He said that at the end of last year, the radio station was fined RM10,000 by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over an interview it had carried with regard to the use of the word 'Allah'.

Khalid warned BFM to exercise greater care as what its reporter (Aisyah Tajuddin) said could be interpreted as ridiculing Islam and, thus, hurting the feelings of the people, and could be subjected to legal action.

He said he would have a discussion with Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the action that could be taken against the radio station and to come up with the best way to check the broadcast of sensitive issues that could generate public anger.

He also said that the police had received five reports on what he described as the controversial broadcast and said the police would call up Aisyah, the script writer and those who had threatened Aisyah to assist in the probe into the offence of allegedly creating disharmony and disunity in society.