MALAYSIA is seeking an arrest warrant for British national Paul Geoffrey Stadlen who had fled the country soon after the May 9 general election last year.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sources said that it will seek the arrest warrant before informing Interpol to track down Stadlen, who was a top media adviser to former prime minister Najib Razak. 

“We do not know his current location and therefore he will be charged in absentia at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

“He will likely be charged together with Umno lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun, 47, for money laundering,” he said.

MACC had detained Hafarizam at the anti-graft headquarters at 4.20pm today.

He is expected to be charged tomorrow under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

Stadlen has been sought by MACC since last year over a case linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

MACC sources said Stadlen and the lawyer are both connected to RM15 million of funds linked to 1MDB.

Stadlen’s last address in Malaysia was at the Loft Sentral Condominium at KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.

He was said to be Najib’s public relations adviser when the latter was prime minister, but his official role in the administration has never been clear, as Putrajaya then had denied that he headed the communication team of the Prime Minister’s Department.

Stadlen had previously worked for global PR firm Apco. – February 20, 2019.