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Luxembourg Prosecutors Look for Embezzlement at Malaysia’s 1MDB

by Stephanie Bodoni/Shamim Adam
Bloomberg
March 31, 2016

Authorities in Luxembourg and Singapore are investigating transactions involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd. as the Malaysian state fund faces expanding probes into allegations of embezzlement and money laundering.

Prosecutors in Luxembourg said they started an investigation of 1MDB, as the fund is known, after finding “concrete clues” of embezzlement from companies owned by the fund via accounts in Singapore, Switzerland and Luxembourg. In response to questions about 1MDB, the Singapore central bank said it is conducting a “thorough review of various transactions as well as fund flows” through its banking system.

“The alleged facts concern in particular the amounts paid during the issuance of two bonds in May and October 2012,” Luxembourgish prosecutors said in an e-mailed statement. They will seek to “retrace the origin of four transfers during 2012 and one transfer in early 2013 for a total of several hundred million dollars, to an offshore company with an account in a bank in” Luxembourg. Continue reading “Luxembourg Prosecutors Look for Embezzlement at Malaysia’s 1MDB”

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Malaysia’s reputation at stake

The Australian
APRIL 1, 2016

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is doing neither himself nor the standing of his country any good by being so obdurate over the corruption charges that have been levelled against him. Lashing out at media (specifically Australian journalists) over reporting of the scandal and threatening members of the Malaysian Bar who have been critical of him with prosecution under draconian, colonial era sedition laws heighten concerns about his authoritarian government.

Mr Najib’s refusal to discuss, much less provide a credible explanation for, the $1 billion linked to the debt-laden sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad that landed in his personal bank accounts is unhelpful. He should realise that even in countries that are major regional economic and strategic partners such as Australia — which long has been strongly linked to Kuala Lumpur through the Five Power Defence Arrangements and was closely allied with it in helping in the aftermath of the Malaysia Airlines MH370 and MH17 disasters — there is deepening concern about the fallout from the scandal. The US, too, is showing signs of dismay. Continue reading “Malaysia’s reputation at stake”

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Barisan Nasional wants to eliminate Guan Eng as an effective campaigner in Sarawak general election with the high-powered two-week attack alleging corruption in his purchase of RM2.8 million bungalow

The Sarawak State Assembly will be dissolved on April 11 and the 12th Sarawak state general elections to elect 82 State Assemblymen and women should be held by May Day or thereabouts.

For the first time in Sarawak’s 53-year history in Malaysia, what happens on Sarawak polling day is not just about Sarawak, for example, how big will be Chief Minister Datuk Adenan Satem’s majority in the new State Assembly, but even more important, how it will affect Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s tenure as sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia and his ability to deflect or to continue to disregard the national and international furore over his RM55 billion 1MDB and RM4.2 billion “donation” twin mega scandals.

In fact, the forthcoming Sarawak State General Elections is even more important to Najib than to Adenan in determining the fate of the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Today also marks the fortnight of unprecedented high-powered UMNO/BN assaults on DAP Secretary-General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng alleging corruption in his purchase of RM2.8 million bungalow.

One of the objectives of such an onslaught on Guan Eng is to eliminate him as an effective campaigner for the DAP and Pakatan Harapan in the Sarawak state general elections.

There are other objectives in the scurrilous and incendiary attacks on Guan Eng, many constructed from half-truths, lies and downright falsehoods, and these include the design to: Continue reading “Barisan Nasional wants to eliminate Guan Eng as an effective campaigner in Sarawak general election with the high-powered two-week attack alleging corruption in his purchase of RM2.8 million bungalow”