Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said the force will not act on the damning US Department of Justice's (DOJ) civil suits on 1MDB because it is a civil matter.

He said there is no criminal element in the law suits and the police's decision was final.

"This is a civil procedure, the police will not meddle in a civil procedure. We will wait and see for any development which require us to follow up. We will act (only) then," he said in a press conference today.

"The police are not concerned with civil matters. We are only concerned about criminal matters. This is our stand at the moment," he stressed.

Khalid added that it was the US authorities that decided there was no criminal element in the forfeiture law suits, which was why they had taken a civil suit.

However, National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenevasan had reminded those who downplayed the issue that the DOJ suit was based on criminal conduct.

But Khalid said the focus should be on the five recommendations based on the 1MDB report by the Public Accounts Committee, and the cabinet's advice.

"If we probe everything then we are not getting anywhere. Cannot. We need to stay focused," he said.

He also dismissed calls for the authorities to identify 'Malaysian Official 1' as mentioned in the lawsuits.

"They can say anything, but we know what we are doing. Of course we will carry out our duties as recommended by PAC, the cabinet, and the Attorney-General's Chambers," he added.

On July 20, the DOJ said that it had filed civil lawsuits seeking to seize assets valued at more than US$1 billion, allegedly stolen from 1MDB, which was overseen by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Federal Bureau of Investigation deputy director Andrew McCabe said the Malaysian people were defrauded on an enormous scale in a scheme which tentacles reached around the world.

The court papers named the CEO of Red Granite Pictures Riza Aziz, who is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson, and businessman Jho Low, as allegedly among the individuals the 1MDB funds were diverted to.

The DOJ soughts to seize 17 assets, including properties, a jet and artworks, as part of its legal action.