MACC’s focus was on identifying and repatriating 1MDB-linked funds

SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said the focus of its investigation into former Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz’s husband in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case, was only to identify and repatriate the funds misappropriated from the sovereign wealth fund.

The anti-graft agency in a statement today said the revelation made by former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner in the US court concerning the funds involving Datuk Dr Tawfiq Ayman was not something new.

It said in fact, in late 2018, former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas had coordinated the investigations between the MACC and the police over the case.

“Through the coordination, MACC’s focus was to identify and repatriate the funds which included the US$15.4 million involving the account of Cutting Edge Industries Ltd, a company owned by Tawfiq,” it said in the statement.

On Nov 19, last year, the MACC issued a press statement confirming the return of the assets to Malaysia.

It said through the coordination, the Attorney-General’s Chambers had instructed the police to focus on the criminal aspect on the money transactions in a bank account belonging to Tawfiq in Singapore and investigation was still ongoing.

MACC said the coordination was also to avoid overlapping of the investigations which involved gathering of evidence and recording of statements of those involved.

This, it said will also make it more convenient for the authorities to deal with the Singaporean authorities which was giving priority to a sole enforcement agency to conduct investigations on criminal offences.

As such, the MACC said, no issues would be raised on failure of any enforcement agencies to track down, investigate and prosecute those involved in the transactions.

Earlier, it was reported that Leissner, during the trial proceedings linked to 1MDB in New York claimed that Tawfiq had accepted bribes.

However, Tawfiq through a statement via law firm of Messrs Jagjit, Ariff & Co recently asserted that he had never accepted bribes in his life and did not even know Leissner.