THE handbags, cash, jewellery and other assets seized in the ongoing 1MDB probe could exceed the billions stolen by former Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos, said Anwar Ibrahim.

1Malaysia Development Bhd is the brainchild of former prime minister Najib Razak, who is accused of misappropriating billions of ringgit from the state investor.

Anwar, the newly released de facto PKR leader, told the Financial Times that “we will probably register an impressive record surpassing that of Imelda and the rest”, referring to Marcos and his wife.

On Wednesday, police raided several properties connected to Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, removing 284 handbag boxes, which include Hermes Birkins and Lous Vuittons, and 72 suitcases filled with jewellery, cash and gold from a condominium in Pavilion Residences.

The raids were part of an ongoing probe into 1MDB, ordered by new Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Last weekend, the Immigration Department placed Najib and Rosmah on a travel blacklist.

In 1986, Marcos and Imelda fled for Hawaii. In their haste to flee Malacanang Palace, Imelda left behind hundreds of pieces of jewellery, designer dresses and some 1,200 pairs of shoes.

In Kuala Lumpur, Anwar told FT that the scale of corruption at 1MDB was a “mind-boggling”.

“These guys are quite sick-minded,” Anwar was quoted as saying.

Anwar was freed from jail on Wednesday after serving three years for sodomy – a charge which he maintains was politically motivated.

Dr Mahathir has announced the formation of a standalone committee to investigate the multibillion-dollar losses at 1MDB. – May 19, 2018.