PAKATAN Harapan lawmakers today marched from parliament to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in Kuala Lumpur to urge the central bank to investigate 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), in light of the latest civil assets forfeiture suit filed by the US Department of Justice.

More than 30 MPs at 9.30am commenced to walk almost two kilometres to deliver a memorandum to BNM governor Muhammad Ibrahim. The memorandum was handed over to two bank representatives.

Pakatan and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said 1MDB’s failure to repay a debt of US$600 million (RM2.6 billion) to International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) had affected the integrity of the country’s financial system.

“Bank Negara has to proactively and transparently investigate this matter. 

“Bank Negara has to be independent and not side with any party,” she said.

Pakatan wants the central bank to investigate the RM2.6 billion that was credited into the accounts of Prime Minister Najib Razak, the alleged money transfer to Tanore Finance Corporation, and 1MDB’s investment in “units” previously valued at US$2.3 billion that are in the keeping of custodian bank, BSI Bank in Singapore.

1MDB, the brainchild of the prime minister, is at the centre of a probe for graft and money-laundering activities trailing across the US, Switzerland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Luxembourg.

Najib in Dewan Rakyat yesterday blamed 1MDB’s failure to pay what it owed the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund on “technical” issues, saying it was not because 1MDB had no money.

Mubadala, which now owns IPIC, has given 1MDB five days to make good the US$600 million payment it missed on Tuesday, failing which 1MDB will “become subject to additional obligations”.

1MDB agreed in April after private arbitration to pay IPIC US$1.2 billion in two instalments by the end of the year. – August 3, 2017.