Two former officials of 1MDB are being investigated in Switzerland on suspicion of bribery of foreign public officials, misconduct in public office, money laundering and criminal mismanagement. – Reuters pic, February 7, 2016.
The Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland (OAG) has delivered a request to the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Ministry for mutual legal assistance on its criminal proceedings into state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
OAG spokesperson Nathalie Guth said in an email response to The Malaysian Insider that the request was transmitted to Kuala Lumpur on February 4 via diplomatic channels.
“The Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland (OAG) confirms with satisfaction the transmission of the mutual legal assistance request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia in the context of the OAG’s criminal proceedings concerning 1MDB.
“The request, after transmission through the competent Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), has been delivered on February 4, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur through diplomatic channels as it is standard procedure,” Guth said.
On January 29, the OAG released a statement saying it had requested the Malaysian authorities for mutual assistance as part of its criminal proceedings against two former officials of 1MDB and “persons unknown” on suspicion of bribery of foreign public officials, misconduct in public office, money laundering and criminal mismanagement.
It also said then that this cooperation was discussed between the two countries at a meeting in Zurich on September 15 last year between the Swiss A-G and his Malaysian counterpart.
The OAG has said that its criminal investigation revealed serious indications that funds were misappropriated from Malaysian state companies, adding that these monies were believed to have been earmarked for investment in economic and social development projects in Malaysia.
It added that the misappropriated amount is estimated to be US$4 billion.
“So far it has been ascertained that a small portion of the money was transferred (into) accounts held in Switzerland by various former Malaysian public officials and both former and current public officials from the United Arabic Emirates.
“To date, however, the Malaysian companies concerned have made no comment on the losses they are believed to have incurred.
“The object of the request for mutual assistance is, therefore, to advise the companies and the Malaysian government of the results of the Swiss criminal proceedings, with the aim of finding out whether losses on this scale have been sustained,” the OAG said.
In addition to the statement, Swiss A-G Michael Lauber also reportedly expressed concern over his Malaysian counterpart Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s decision to stop investigations into the transfer of US$681 million into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s private bank accounts, saying the move could hamper Switzerland’s own probe into the troubled state-owned investment firm.
“We are very concerned.
“We have found evidence of suspicious money transfers linked to 1MDB going through Swiss financial institutions, and we believe that it is very important that it is shared with the Malaysian authorities,” The Wall Street Journal had quoted Lauber as saying.
The statement by the OAG prompted an immediate response from Apandi, who said that his office would take all steps to collaborate with its Swiss counterparts on the matter.
He added that he was also looking forward to receiving the findings of the OAG investigations and materials.
“These materials will then be reviewed, alongside the findings of other relevant authorities and our own investigations, to determine the appropriate course of action,” Apandi said in a statement.
He added, however, that the investigations into donations made to Najib were separate from those into 1MDB.
He also said the A-G’s Chambers had exhaustively reviewed the report by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and found no evidence of wrongdoing.
“The relevant Malaysian authorities and I are keen to establish all the facts about 1MDB that have led to recent allegations against the company.
“That is why a number of investigations, including by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Royal Malaysian Police, and Auditor-General’s Department, are currently ongoing.
“The Malaysian authorities, including the Attorney-General’s Chambers, are committed to working with all relevant foreign law enforcement entities through the applicable international conventions and agreements.
“Similarly, 1MDB has from the outset cooperated with the inquiries.”
- TMI
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