UMNO leaders Shahrir Abd Samad and Ahmad Maslan are set to be charged with money laundering at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court tomorrow. 

The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission said in a statement that it had received the go ahead to charge the duo under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. 

It said Shahrir will face one charge while Ahmad have two charges against him. It did not reveal the details of the charges. 

The commission also said that both were arrested when they turned up for questioning at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya this morning. 

“They have been released on MACC bail,” it added. 

It is believed that the charges are related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) money received by the duo from former prime minister and ex-Umno president Najib Razak. 

Last October MACC had said it was seeking to recover RM420 million from 80 individuals and entities which received money from 1MDB. 

Ahmad and Shahrir were included in the list. 

At that time Ahmad denied receiving any money from 1MDB, but acknowledged that he had been investigated by the authorities over the matter. 

The former deputy international trade and industry minister said he was previously the subject of a MACC and police investigation for allegedly receiving a cheque from 1MDB. 

Former Johor Baru MP Shahrir meanwhile had previously said his personal and his party accounts have been frozen by the authorities over the 1MDB probe. 

He had admitted to receiving funds from Najib but was not aware of the source of the funds that he received in 2013. – January 20, 2020.