Apandi: We will help Swiss in their 1MDB probe

PETALING JAYA: The Attorney-General's Chambers will take steps to collaborate with its Swiss counterpart in the investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali (pic) said that the AGC looked forward to "receiving the findings of their investigations and materials through normal channels".

He said the AGC would determine the appropriate course of action after reviewing the materials and those of other relevant authorities and internal investigations.

He added that Malaysian authorities were committed to working with relevant foreign law enforcement entities through the applicable international conventions and agreements.

Switzerland's chief prosecutor, attorney-general Michael Lauber said on Friday he had formally asked Malaysia for help with his probe into possible violations of Swiss law by 1MDB, saying suspected misappropriations amounted to about US$4bil (RM16.57bil).

Lauber said the request pertained to possible violations of Swiss laws related to bribery of foreign officials, misconduct in public office, money laundering and criminal mismanagement at 1MDB.

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Here is Apandi's statement in full:

1. I note the statement issued by the Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland, and further remarks attributed to the Swiss Attorney-General by an American newspaper, concerning an investigation into two former officials of 1MDB.

2. I and the relevant Malaysian authorities are keen to establish all the facts about 1MDB that have led to recent allegations against the company. That is why a number of investigations - including by the Public Accounts Committee, the Royal Malaysian Police, and the Auditor General's Department - are currently on-going.

3. The Malaysian authorities, including the Attorney-General's Chambers, are committed to working with all relevant foreign law enforcement entities through the applicable international conventions and agreements. Similarly, 1MDB has from the outset cooperated with the enquiries.

4. Regarding the recent public statement by the Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland, my office intends to take all possible steps to follow up and collaborate with our Swiss counterparts, and we look forward to receiving the findings of their investigations and materials through the normal channels. These materials will then be reviewed, alongside the findings of other relevant authorities and our own investigations, to determine the appropriate course of action.

5. Contrary to recent media reports, the investigations into donations that were made to the Prime Minister are entirely separate to those into 1MDB. The Attorney-General's Chambers exhaustively reviewed the report provided by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and, as has been announced, found no evidence of wrong-doing and hence have instructed for the cases to be closed.

6. Any attempt by media organisations to conflate the two sets of investigations is irresponsible and prejudicial.

TAN SRI MOHAMED APANDI ALI
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
MALAYSIA