MACC only focuses on identifying, repatriating 1MDB-linked funds

PUTRAJAYA: The focus of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation into the husband of former Bank Negara Malaysia governor, Datuk Dr Tawfiq Ayman, is merely to identify and repatriate the funds related to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

In a statement here today, MACC said the recent disclosure made by former Goldman Sachs Group Inc Southeast Asia chairman Tim Leissner at the 1MDB trial in the United States concerning 1MDB funds involving Tawfiq was not a new development.

In fact, former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas had, in late 2018, coordinated the investigations into the case involving Tawfiq between the MACC and the Royal Malaysia Police.

Through the coordination, MACC's focus was to identify and repatriate the funds related to the 1MDB case, including the US$15.4 million involving the accounts of Cutting Edge Industries Ltd, a company owned by Tawfiq.

"The MACC has issued a media statement confirming the return of the assets to Malaysia," the statement said.

MACC said through coordination, the Attorney-General's Chambers had also instructed the police to focus on the criminal aspect in the flow of money into Tawfiq's account in Singapore, and the investigation was still ongoing.

It said the coordination was to avoid duplication in the investigations, especially in the gathering of evidence and recording of statements of those involved, as the Singaporean authority was giving the priority to investigate criminal offences to only one law enforcement agency.

"As such, failure of enforcement agencies to track down, investigate and prosecute against those committing the offences in the financial transactions as alleged by certain quarters, is a non-issue," MACC said.

Last Tuesday, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki was reported as saying that Tawfiq was being investigated by the police and that his agency was only tasked to repatriate the 1MDB funds from Singapore.

-- BERNAMA