Resolving the protracted 1MDB saga would better serve Malaysia’s desires to be top in Asia again, DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang told Finance Ministry secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.

Mohd Irwan this morning told Malaysian youths that complacency had caused Malaysia to lose its poll position in the region, and is now competing with once laggards Vietnam and Indonesia.

“Let Mohd Irwan (photo) advise the prime minister who is also the Finance Minister that Malaysia must not be in the world limelight for the wrong reasons.

“The first thing to do is to bring the 1MDB global scandal to a close, not by trying to sweep things under carpet, which is impossible in a global society in the information age,” he said in a statement.

Lim said this can be done by immediately setting up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the RM2.6 billion donation received by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and 1MDB.

Otherwise, he said, Malaysia will only lead in financial misappropriation and denying wrongdoing despite an international probe on the matter.

“Has there been any such case, where a company is being investigated for multi-billion ringgit money laundering and global corruption by half a dozen foreign countries, but which is strenuously denied by the company affected and its government?

“On this score, we must be the first in the world,” he said.

The call comes as Swiss authorities said criminal action has been taken against Swiss bank BSI for money-laundering and corruption related to 1MDB.

Singapore authorities also ordered the closure of BSI in Singapore.

1MDB said it is cooperating with all investigations but neither Singapore and Switzerland agencies have contacted the state investment firm.