Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Gani today welcomed the conviction of former BSI Singapore banker Yeo Jiawei on witness-tampering charges in relation to the island-state's investigations into the 1MDB money trail.

"Very good. Because we want to make sure all banks that facilitated this will take action," Johari told reporters after the 20th anniversary celebrations of Prasarana's Ampang Line at the Bukit Jalil LRT station.

"That's it. So as far as Malaysia is concerned, we are going through the process," he said when asked for comments on the decision delivered by Singapore's district judge Ng Peng Hong yesterday.

Ng was reported to have said Yeo was an "unreliable and not a credible witness" before finding him guilty.

Bloomberg also reported that Yeo faces a maximum seven-year jail sentence.

Sentencing is expected to be handed down today and Yeo is the third BSI banker so far to be convicted over 1MDB-related matters.

However, Johari (photo) remained silent when asked, repeatedly, whether the government would take over 1MDB's debts, since the Finance Ministry has taken over 1MDB’s Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) project, which has a gross development value of at least RM40 billion.

Earlier, Johari credited the government's investment in developing the country's public transportation network as a factor towards increased contributions to the national economy.

"In any country around the world, investments in public transportation are long-term and it will take about 40 to 50 years (to recoup).

"But the important thing is that, in between those years, it (the public transportation network) has helped to boost our economy," he said when asked whether Prasarana had recouped its investments into the Ampang LRT line after 20 years.

In particular, Johari cited the service sector's 54 percent contribution to the national gross domestic product, as a result of developments of areas serviced by the growing public transportation network.

Johari said Prasarana is currently operating 70 monorail and LRT stations, and its total network is expected to number 200 stations, including those on the Mass Rapid Transit line.