MACC not involved in Bank Negara probe

PUTRAJAYA: Anti-graft officers are not involved in the investigations being carried out against four Bank Negara Malaysia officials.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission sources said the probe was an internal inquiry by the central bank.

“The officers are not on leave because of any investigation on our part,” the source told The Star.

The MACC, however, has declined to reveal whether its investigators are still conducting a probe into the purchase of land valued at RM2bil.

The Bank Negara officials have opted to take leave as Bank Negara conducts an internal probe into how the sale was concluded.

StarBiz reported earlier Wednesday that the controversy over the sale of land came about because proceeds were alleged to have been used to settle some of the liabilities of debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The issues were the pricing and speed in which the transaction was completed.

The RM2bil price tag is what the land would have cost if the purchase was for commercial reasons.

However, in Bank Negara's case the purchase was not for commercial reasons hence the contention was the price should have been lower.

Also, the money was transferred to the Federal Government before the full transaction was completed.

In June, then Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Muhammad Ibrahim resigned from his post over the controversy.