OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim has filed a motion to the Dewan Rakyat to discuss former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner’s disclosure on corrupt practices, abuse of power and misappropriation involving several local entities in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

The notice was submitted to Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun under Standing Order 18(1) that any member of the House, other than a minister, may request for a matter of urgent public importance to be debated. 

“I have submitted a motion to the speaker under Standing Order 18(1) to discuss the testimony of ex-banker Tim Leissner in a United States court on corrupt practices and abuse of power involving several individuals, including Malaysian institutions such as Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

“This is a matter that needs detailed and urgent attention as well as debate in the Dewan Rakyat because it is of public interest.

“It needs an immediate explanation from the government following the failure of our national enforcement agencies, especially the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to detect, investigate and prosecute any Malaysian citizen involved in illegal financial transactions,” said the Port Dickson MP.

Leissner, the key witness in the bribery trial of his Malaysian subordinate Roger Ng, told the New York Eastern District Court last week that he had used money received from 1MDB to buy a US$10 million (RM41.8 million) home in London for his then lover, Rohana Rozhan.

Rohana was then the chief executive officer of Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd.

He reportedly said Rohana threatened to expose his involvement with 1MDB if he refused to purchase the house.

Leissner also mentioned bribery involving the husband of a former BNM governor in his testimony but could not prove whether a bribe was paid.

Ng, 49, is charged with conspiring with Leissner and wanted businessman Low Taek Jho to launder money embezzled from 1MDB, and violate US anti-bribery laws.

He is the only former Goldman banker to go on trial in the scandal.

Leissner was in a relationship with Rohana from 2003 to 2013, and subsequently married US television star Kimora Lee Simmons in 2013.

Goldman Sachs had helped 1MDB raise US$6.5 billion in bonds and received a hefty US$600 million in fees for it. 

In 2018, Leissner pleaded guilty to charges of violating US anti-corruption and money-laundering laws. – February 28, 2022.