Najib asks for witness protection from cops, claims life threatened

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has asked for witness protection, claiming those linked directly or indirectly to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds abroad had made threats to his life and his family members.

Online portal Malay Mail reported that Najib had lodged a police report on Friday (May 19) at the Sentul police headquarters, Kuala Lumpur.

In the report, Najib said there was a clear threat on his and his family members' life and made a formal request to be put under witness protection.

Najib had reportedly claimed that the threats were not only from Malaysia, but also overseas, and linked to 1MDB.

In Najib's report, he said police officers from Bukit Aman’s commercial crime unit had first showed up at his residence on the night of May 10.

He said the police personnel were at his residence for 18 hours and seized items belonging to him and his son, which he claimed had nothing to do with 1MDB.

The police report also stated that police had raided three condominiums at Pavillion Tower, Kuala Lumpur, and seized jewellery, cash and other personal belongings he claimed was gifted to him by friends.

Najib reportedly stated that the cash was donations meant for Barisan Nasional’s election campaign.

He also claimed that investigators who raided the properties failed to provide Najib with a list of seized items.

Najib in his report stated that he only played an advisory role in 1MDB and was not involved in the decision-making process of the sovereign wealth fund.

Rather, the decisions on 1MDB deals were made by the board of directors and the management.

In the police report, he added that the RM2.6 billion that was transferred to his personal account was a donation from the Saudi royal family.

Federal investigators have been diligently searching properties linked to Najib, including the couple’s private mansion in Taman Duta and condo units in Pavilion Residences, all in Kuala Lumpur.

The official residence of the Prime Minister in Seri Perdana, Putrajaya and the Prime Minister’s Office in Putra Perdana are also being combed.

The confiscated items include several truckloads of boxes containing luxury Hermes, Chanel and Gucci handbags and suitcases with hard cash in various currencies.

Najib has also been blacklisted from leaving the country by the Immigration Department.