Several NGOs today urged Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe Najib Abdul Razak over the report that 1MDB's funds were used to bankroll the prime minister's campaign in the 13th general elections.

They also want the sovereign fund, Genting Plantations Bhd and a foundation, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M), to be investigated by the anti-graft body following the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report on June 19.

It says the MACC should probe whether Najib ( photo ) has misused his power to enable the fund to be been channelled for the elections campaign.

Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0), Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) were among the NGOs.  

"If what has been reported by WSJ is true, then a proper investigation should be conducted. They cannot do whatever they want with our money.

"If it was true that 1MDB has something to do with 13th general elections, then we should know about this," Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah said after the NGOs handed over a memorandum to the MACC.

Will follow up with MACC every month

The group said the commission should find out whether the RM1.2 billion overpriced purchase of power assets from Genting Group was indeed a gratification.

They demanded MACC to further investigate if Genting had wrongfully donated the shareholders' fund to YR1M, which is chaired by Najib, as well as probe whether YR1M's fund were misused, instead of helping the underprivileged.

"We will follow up every month with the commission.

"We have registered our concern with MACC that the public vehicle had been exposed more and more of being part of a complex money trail," said Cynthia Gabriel ( photo ), the director of C4.

In a press statement issued after the memorandum was sent, the MACC said it is currently assisting other agencies investigating 1MDB.

"The MACC has checked on the 1MDB issue, and is now aiding other enforcement agencies investigating the issue.

"The WSJ report that 1MDB funds were channeled into BN's campaign during the 13th general elections, is one of the matters that is known to the 1MDB investigation team," it said.

It also repeated its call for a law to govern political funding, and hoped politicians from both sides of the divide will support such a law.

Genting made RM31m donation to YR1M

WSJ reported that 1MDB's funds were used to bankroll Najib's election campaign and this was achieved by having 1MDB pay RM2.3 billion, an overpaid price to purchase power assets from Genting in 2012.

Genting then made RM31 million donation to YR1M controlled by Najib shortly before the 13th general elections and WSJ implied the funds were used for campaigning by Najib's Umno party.

"Though set up to help underprivileged Malaysians through education and sport, this charity foundation soon got involved in spending that appeared designed to help Najib retain power in the May 2013 elections," said the WSJ report.

1MDB, which has accumulated RM41.8 billion in debts as of March 2014, is owned by the finance ministry, a portfolio held by Najib.