The 1MDB saga has gripped the nation, resulted in numerous international investigations and earned the unenviable title of being the biggest kleptocracy case handled by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

And now it has taken the form of a board game. Welcome to the world of "Kleptopoly".

Inspired by the popular board game Monopoly, players can acquire luxury properties and assets including the Park Lane Hotel and Park Laurel condominium in New York City, Fleet Street townhouses, mansions in Beverly Hills and even a superyacht called "Equanimity".

If some of these properties sound familiar, it is because they were named in the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) civil forfeiture suit on 1MDB-linked assets.

According to Aizat Shamsuddin from Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), the NGO which developed the game, "Kleptopoly" is designed to entertain and educate.

"We wanted to let players experience how the properties were purchased.

"For example, 'Cayman Islands' is one of the best to purchase (in the game) because you can offer it to other players to hide their 'corrupt' properties there.

"It also means you are immune from having to declare your assets, as you are offshore," he said, adding that C4 had commissioned the game as part of its campaign to pressure elected representatives to declare their assets.

Raja Bomoh cards included

Another interesting feature of the game, commissioned by C4 as part of its campaign to pressure elected representatives to declare their assets, is the "Raja Bomoh" cards.

"The Raja Bomoh card is inspired by Ibrahim Mat Zin, who is famous in Malaysia. We use this card to determine your fate in the game.

"One of the cards gives you profits from the box office movie Wolf of Wall Street worth 10 million (in Kleptopoly currency) while another is a 'whistleblower' card where you can whistleblow on another player who you suspect has 'corrupt' assets.

"If guessed correctly, the player will have to forfeit their assets," Aizat explained.

Players found with "corrupt" assets can also be sent to "jail" by the "Anti-Corruption Agency".

To win Kleptopoly, Aizat said, not only would players need to collect the most properties (and therefore be the "richest") but also remain the most "clean".

"Even if you don’t win but manage to remain clean, there is nothing to be worried about.

"Our message is that it is nothing wrong to be wealthy, even super-rich, as long as your gains from the wealth is clean and not from misappropriated funds.

"(And with the whistleblower cards) we want to send a message to people saying you must speak out against corruption," he added.

Each session would require between two to four players, who would manoeuvre four miniature characters across the board.

The characters resemble businessman Jho Low, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and an Arab sheikh.

The board game is expected to be sold in two versions – one featuring hand-sculpted characters made from resin which would be priced at RM100 and limited to 100 sets. The regular sets, priced at RM55, would feature cardboard characters.

Sets with hand-sculpted characters will be sold for RM100, limited to 100 sets. Regular sets with cardboard characters cost RM55.

Kleptopoly will be available for pre-order on C4’s Facebook page beginning tomorrow.

Pre-orders and enquiries can also be made at the C4 booth during the “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptokrasi” rally at Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya tomorrow from 5pm to 11pm.

C4 will be organising Kleptopoly tournaments throughout November.