BOTH the White House and Putrajaya have confirmed Prime Minister Najib Razak’s working visit to the United States, citing the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties as an occasion to celebrate.

“President Donald Trump looks forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of US-Malaysia bilateral relations, and discussing ways to strengthen and broaden our bilateral relationship and expand regional cooperation with one of America’s closest partners in Southeast Asia,” said the White House.

The Prime Minister’s Office also released a statement, confirming the visit.

It said the two countries were keen on celebrating bilateral ties that had been enhanced under Najib’s leadership into a comprehensive partnership based on shared interests.

“The two leaders are expected to discuss areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, including national security, the global fight against terrorism and extremism, and trade and investment, that will benefit our nations and peoples.”

Yesterday, The Malaysian Insight reported that Najib’s trip was expected to bolster support in his base and undercut the opposition narrative that he was a wanted person in the US.

Najib’s visit is scheduled from September 10 to 12, and will see him paying his respects at the 9/11 memorial in New York on September 11, 16 years after the terror attacks.

He is also set to meet senior Democrat and Republican politicians in Washington DC.

The visit comes in the wake of a push by Washington for Malaysia to share intelligence on North Korea and step up efforts to block weapons flow through Malaysia.

It is understood that Putrajaya had wanted to announce the visit only after two major events – the Sea Games and Merdeka Day celebrations – to get maximum exposure in the media.

The trip comes on the heels of the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) criminal investigation into funds allegedly stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Najib’s brainchild.

DoJ has sought to delay civil suits filed in the past two years to forfeit more than US$1 billion (RM4.3 billion) in real estate and other assets.

In the civil cases, the department alleged that between 2009 and 2015, more than US$4.5 billion belonging to 1MDB was diverted by high-level officials of the state investor and their associates.

Last year, DoJ filed a civil asset-forfeiture suit to seize more than US$1 billion in assets bought using funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

In June, it filed another suit to seize US$540 million in assets, including the US$165 million yacht “Equanimity”, owned by Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, and the rights to comedy movie “Dumb and Dumber To”, produced by Red Granite, a production house co-owned by Riza Aziz, Najib’s stepson.

Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, is linked to a 22-carat pink diamond necklace, allegedly costing US$27.3 million, that was bought by Low as a gift to the “wife of Malaysian Official No. 1” (MO1).

A minister has admitted that MO1 is Najib. – August 24, 2017.