It’s between PM and the Saudis, says A-G

PUTRAJAYA: The Attorney-General did not say why a Saudi royal family donated RM2.08bil to the Prime Minister, after giving his reasons for closing the investigation.

“It is between the family and the Prime Minister.

“We (MACC) recorded statements from them,” Tan Sri Mohd Apandi Ali (pic) said when asked if investigation papers stated the reason for the gift.

Speaking at a press conference to announce his decision, he said it took weeks to sift through and analyse all the documents and witness statements which involved “many figures and names”.

“We even took the trouble to draw up the money trail to fully understand what transpired,” he said.

Apandi said he was pleased with the prompt response by the Malay­sian Anti-Corruption Com­mission (MACC) when the A-G’s Chambers needed explanations and clarifications after reading the investigation papers.

The MACC filed the papers with the Chambers on Dec 31 last year.

On Jan 18, the A-G sent them back, directing the MACC to explain further its suggestions and actions that it recommended.

Asked if he had contacted MACC officials to seek further clarification before making his decision, Apandi said he had been liaising with them since the papers were filed.

“I communicated with MACC boss Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed via phone calls and we also communicated the modern way, through WhatsApp.

“I also spoke to the director of investigations, Datuk Azam Baki. But our conversations are, of course, confidential.

“To say that I didn’t communicate with them is not correct,” he said.