Summary

  • MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki congratulates his team today after the High Court found Najib Abdul Razak guilty of abuse of power and money laundering in the 1MDB scandal.

  • The tone contrasts with 2015, when the commission claimed the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s accounts was from donors, not 1MDB.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki has congratulated the investigation and prosecution teams involved in the 1MDB case for the successful completion of the case.

The appreciation followed the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s finding today that former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was guilty of abuse of power charges linked to misappropriated 1MDB funds, marking the end of a long investigation since 2015.

“I wish to congratulate my investigating officers and the prosecution team who worked tirelessly from the very beginning of the 1MDB investigation, which commenced in July 2015, until its completion in the court’s decision delivered today.

“This expression of appreciation recognises the extraordinary commitment and perseverance of our investigating officers, particularly in securing evidence both domestically and internationally.

“The investigation was marked by significant legal, technical, and jurisdictional challenges, yet the team remained steadfast in meeting the rigorous legal standards required for it to be brought before the court of law,” he said in a statement today.

Azam also extended his appreciation to all parties who cooperated throughout the investigation, particularly Bank Negara Malaysia and the police.

Najib Abdul Razak

“Crucial to this investigation is the cooperation of foreign counterparts, especially in the complex and demanding process of obtaining evidence from abroad through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanisms,” he added.

Among the agencies that provided assistance in terms of tracing, gathering, and verifying evidence were the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), the UK’s International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), the Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland, Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department, as well as relevant authorities from the Netherlands and Barbados.

Different tone

MACC’s statement today bore a different tone compared to the early phases of the investigation in 2015.

Around August 2015, MACC - then under the leadership of Abu Kassim Mohamed - said the RM2.6 billion deposited into Najib’s personal accounts was a contribution from a donor.

“Investigations have found the RM2.6 billion, which was allegedly deposited into the prime minister’s accounts, is the contribution of donors and not from 1MDB funds,” the MACC said at the time.

Azam, who was the investigation director at the time, said the MACC had sent a team to the Middle East to meet the individual alleged to have channelled the RM2.6 billion into Najib’s personal accounts.

The court today rejected the Arab donation letters submitted by Najib’s defence team in the 1MDB trial and asserted that the documents were a “forgery”.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said Najib’s own narrative regarding the funds as an Arab donation was implausible and without merit.

The judge also said the defence was “incapable of belief” and failed to rebut the presumption of gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act.

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