Malaysian PM Najib says he initiated 1MDB probe

PETALING JAYA - In an interview with a Japanese weekly, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was the first to order an investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

In an interview published in the Nikkei Asian Review yesterday, he said the Malaysian authorities have led investigations into 1MDB.

"It was I who first instructed multiple authorities in Malaysia to conduct investigations," he stated.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditor-General, the police and the bipartisan Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee have conducted probes.

"I have always made clear that full co-operation should be extended to any investigation, provided it is in accordance with the laws of our country," said Mr Najib.

"Furthermore, as I have consistently stated, if any wrongdoing is proven, the law will be enforced without exception," he added.

He noted that the 1MDB issue has been highly politicised by "certain elements within Malaysia" attempting to exploit the issue for their personal "political benefit".

He also accused certain people of feeding the foreign authorities with "false or incomplete information".

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"Those outside Malaysia cannot always appreciate these complexities, but it is something they should bear in mind to avoid becoming entangled in what has become a domestic political matter," he said.

Mr Najib was responding to questions from Japan's Nikkei Asian Review ahead of his three-day visit to Tokyo yesterday.

The Malaysian investigation into 1MDB concluded that weaknesses existed in the management but none of its executives have been charged on allegations of embezzlement.

However, the authorities in Singapore, Switzerland and the United States are probing entities and people related to 1MDB for possible money laundering and other offences.

In the interview with Nikkei Asian Review, Mr Najib also spoke about the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, Malaysia's ties with China and Malaysia's bilateral relationship with Japan.

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