80 persons, entities fined for receiving RM420m from 1MDB

TheEdge Tue, Oct 08, 2019 09:07am - 4 years View Original


KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has issued compound notices to 80 individuals and entities believed to have received funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) totalling up to RM420 million.

Notable individuals include ex-banker Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, younger brother of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and previously chairman of CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, former deputy finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and former minister of domestic trade and consumer affairs and Federal Land Development Authority chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.

In a press conference yesterday, MACC chief Latheefa Koya revealed that Nazir received RM25.7 million in cheques, the most given to an individual on the list. In terms of entity, Solar Shine Sdn Bhd received RM134 million.

Solar Shine was an event management company established in 2010 to promote the 1Malaysia campaign nationwide to non-

Malays. During Najib’s trial in April on seven charges including abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million of funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, Solar Shine’s company director Datuk Lew Choon Lai testified the company was given a cheque of RM1 million by Najib.

Solar Shine was to provide goodie bags containing daily necessities to be distributed to ethnic Indians in rural areas and elderly ethnic Chinese in residential areas while promoting the 1Malaysia concept to them.

Other prominent names on the MACC list include Dewan Negara senator Datuk Hanafi Mamat, property tycoon Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng of Titijaya Land Bhd, Soong Fui Kiun who headed think tank Centre for Strategic Engagement, Najib’s former political secretary Tan Sri Mohamad Fatmi Che Salleh and academic Sulaiman Aris.

The funds involved were also distributed to other companies, political parties and organisations linked to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. The MACC named 23 Umno divisions and Umno-related bodies, five of which were MIC-related, two MCA-related, as well as those related to Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, and People’s Progressive Party. It also named five foundations and 23 companies, many of them in consultancy and events management.

Latheefa said the compounds issued to the individuals and entities may be equivalent to the amount received from 1MDB, to as much as 2.5 times of the amount.

“We have opened up investigation papers for all these individuals [and entities] — there are 80 of them — and we hope that by the time they receive this compound notice, they will take it seriously and pay up.

“Our investigation will show that these monies that they have received — that we are now seeking back by way of compound — are monies from 1MDB. They belong to the Malaysian public.”

The entities and individuals listed have two weeks from the notice date to pay the compound, failing which, the MACC will exercise the powers granted to it under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amlatfa), to take necessary action.

Under Section 92 of Amlatfa, Latheefa explained the individuals involved may be prosecuted if they do not pay the fine within the stipulated time.

The compound notices were sent yesterday after the MACC received the consent of the attorney-general.

On June 21, the MACC filed a civil forfeiture suit against 41 entities and individuals in a bid to recover RM270 million of funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB. Some RM212 million of the total is to be recovered from Umno-related entities. At the time, Latheefa said the commission had so far received RM2 million which had been surrendered voluntarily.

In Parliament yesterday, Ahmad Maslan told reporters he had not received 1MDB monies. However, he admitted he is currently under investigation by the Royal Malaysia Police and MACC.

“I have told them that I have never received cheques with the amount indicated, and I have shown copies of cheques made to me to the police and MACC,” he said.

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