AS Malaysia ramps up investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd, the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) says it is looking forward to working with Malaysian authorities in probes into transactions related to the troubled state investor.

“The United States continues to pursue justice on behalf of the victims with respect to its investigation related to 1MDB,” said the DoJ in a statement reported by Reuters today.

“The United States DoJ looks forward to working with Malaysian law enforcement authorities in investigating transactions related to 1MDB.”

The DoJ began investigating 1MDB in 2016. It alleges US$4.5 billion (RM18 billion) was laundered through a web of shell companies and bank accounts in the US and elsewhere.

The DoJ today said the recovered assets would be used to benefit those harmed by acts of corruption.

“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that the United States and its financial system are not threatened by corrupt individuals and kleptocrats who seek to hide their ill-gotten wealth,” a DoJ spokesman was quoted as saying.

“Whenever possible, recovered assets will be used to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office.”

The statement comes just as former prime minister Najib Razak was summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for questioning over RM42 million deposited into his bank accounts between December 2014 and February 2015.

Investigators believe the money came from SRC International, a former subsidiary of the troubled state investor 1MDB.

The Pakatan Harapan government recently set up two committees to investigate the 1MDB scandal after it won federal power in GE14.

One committee comprise former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman, PwC Risk Assurance Services partner Nik Shahrizal Sulaiman, Naqiz & Partners senior partner Syed Naqiz Shahabuddin Syed Abdul Jabbar, Indonesian Financial Services Authority senior adviser Faris Rabidin and C4 director Cynthia Gabriel.

Yesterday, Putrajaya announced another special task force headed by another former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, MACC chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull, former MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed and former Special Branch deputy director Abdul Hamid Bador. – May 22, 2018.