KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts are underway to retrieve assets linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, including from investment bank Goldman Sachs.
1MDB task force chief Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said various efforts are in place to recover the assets siphoned through the scandal.
Johari said the task force is focusing solely on assets recovery, whereas areas related to criminal cases and arrests will be done by the respective authorities.
“My focus is only on assets recovery. InsyaAllah, we are working on many more (of assets recovery), especially with Goldman Sachs,” he said when met at the Federal Territory (FT) Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house held at Dataran Pintu Gerbang in Kampung Baru today.
Johari, who is Titiwangsa member of Parliament, was asked if more people linked to the 1MDB scandal would be brought back to face the music here in Malaysia.
On Friday, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the arrest of a suspect involved in the agency’s investigation of the 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd cases.
Upon his arrival at klia2, the man, who had been missing since 2018, was handed a notice to appear at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya at 10am on Saturday.
On the same day, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to bring Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) back to Malaysia to face the music.
The premier, however, refused to elaborate on the matter and declined to confirm if the negotiations involved China, stating that the discussions were taking place with the countries involved through proper diplomatic channels.
Anwar, nevertheless, admitted that the process of bringing him back is a complicated one, involving countries, intelligence services, Interpol (International Police), and others.
Previously, on March 6, Johari had questioned the 1MDB settlement agreement struck by the government under the administration of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He said the government then agreed to only get RM11.2 billion from the RM29 billion that was claimed, and that the bank had agreed to help retrieve an additional RM6.25 billion in assets.
The former second finance minister also said the lower settlement amount was an indication that there were discrepancies where the deal was concerned, adding that Goldman Sachs was “obviously exploiting” the government negotiator’s shortcomings in putting the deal together.
Source : NST