PAS wants Putrajaya to apply for intervenor status in the United States Department of Justice's lawsuits to seize properties linked to 1MDB filed last Wednesday.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the government should do so if it is confident public officials are not at fault.

"If they believe there has been no wrongdoing on the government or 1MDB's part, then they should intervene in this American case because 1MDB is mentioned in the lawsuits.

"This means that the government of Malaysia has a stake in the lawsuits, because 1MDB is 100 percent owned by the Finance Ministry.

"The government of Malaysia or 1MDB must apply for intervenor status if the matter is heard," he said.

He said this on the sidelines of Perkasa's Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Kuala Lumpur today.

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali also urged Malaysian authorities to immediately contact the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on the matter.

"I urge the Najib administration to instruct the inspector-general of police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision, Bank Negara Malaysia and the attorney-general to contact the DOJ to get a detailed explanation," he said.

He said further explanation should be sought on the individual dubbed 'Malaysian Official 1' in the lawsuits.

"Malaysian Official 1 can be anyone. There are many people in 1MDB," he said of the term used 36 times in the 136 pages filed by the DOJ.

The DOJ on Wednesday launched what it touts to be its largest action ever brought under its Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative (Kari).

Through a series of civil forfeiture suits, it seeks to seize over US$1 billion worth of assets that were supposedly the result of criminal proceeds from the embezzlement of over US$3.5 billion from 1MDB.

The suits name Najib's stepson Riza Aziz, Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, better known as 'Jho Low', and Abu Dhabi government officials Khadem Abdulla Al-Qubaisi and Mohammed Ahmed Badawy Al-Husseiny.

Malaysian Official 1 is described as a "a high-ranking official in the Malaysian government who also held a position of authority with 1MDB" and a "relative" of Riza.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali maintains that Najib was not named in the lawsuits.

Najib said the government will cooperate with investigations and his administration is committed to good governance.