Special Task Force Freezes Six Bank Accounts

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- The special task force set up to investigate allegations of funds having been channelled to the Malaysian prime minister's personal accounts has ordered a freeze on six bank accounts of people believed to be involved in the case. Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail; Bank Negara (Malaysia's Central Bank) Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz; Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed announced this in a joint statement Tuesday. They said the task force also took possession of documents related to 17 accounts from two banks yesterday to aid the investigation. "The Special Task Force also took possession of documents over the issue of the banks' non-compliance with Bank Negara Malaysia rules and regulations," they said in the statement. The statement did not mention the names of the account holders or the banks. It said: "The investigation is ongoing. As such, the Special Task Force calls on all quarters to offer full cooperation for the investigation to be completed." Last Friday, The Wall Street Journal published a report claiming that almost US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) of funds from government investment company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) had been channelled to personal bank accounts of the Malaysian prime minister. On the same day, the Prime Minister's Office dismissed the WSJ report and said it was a political sabotage to topple a democratically-elected prime minister. 1MDB also stated that it had never channelled funds to Najib Razak. In the wake of the allegation, many quarters urged the prime minister to sue WSJ to clear his name and set right the image of the country, saying the allegation questioned the dignity of the country's leadership in the eyes of the world. Two days ago, Najib said he would decide over several days on the form of action to be taken over the allegation. He said the matter had been referred to his panel of lawyers for advice and the follow-up action that could taken in the country and abroad. --BERNAMA