Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has told Malaysians not to let the matter of the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) civil claim to seize assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB cash, to distract us from facing challenges currently faced by our nation.

"More importantly, we must not allow ourselves to be distracted by these lawsuits.

"Malaysians must remain united and focused on facing the challenges which confront our nation both at home and abroad.

"I am confident that we will soon find a closure on this 1MDB debacle," national news agency Bernama reported him as saying.

Zahid also said that the government viewed the DOJ filing seriously, adding that Malaysia welcomes the efforts by the US DOJ in battling international corruption.

He urged all parties involved to cooperate fully so that the appropriate legal process can take its due course.

Zahid said that Malaysia, being a responsible member of the United Nations and the global community, respects the legal processes of different jurisdictions and remains fully committed in upholding the rule of law.

"As stated by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, this is in line with our commitment to promote good governance, especially from the standpoint of transparency and accountability.

"In my capacity as the home minister, ‎I can confirm that investigations are still ongoing domestically by the relevant authorities, especially the Royal Malaysian Police," he reportedly said in a statement.

Zahid stressed that any Malaysian individual or corporation found guilty in engaging in unlawful activities anywhere in the world will face the full brunt of the law.

He said the Malaysian government stands firm in its commitment to resolve the issue fully and priority is given to uphold justice, so that the interest of the public is fully protected.

On Wednesday, the DOJ filed civil a claim to seize assets belonging to Najib's stepson Riza Aziz and controversial financier Jho Low, which the department claimed was bought with public funds absconded from 1MDB.