40 luxury handbags linked to 1MDB being auctioned off, says Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 40 luxury handbags, linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), that are worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit are being auctioned off, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

The Minister in charge of Law and Institutional Reforms said the government through the Attorney General's Chambers has filed an application for the forfeiture of assets under Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds Act 2001, in relation to assets from the misappropriation of 1MDB.

"So far, the assets seized by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which have been forfeited, includes 40 high-end handbags estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit," she said in a parliamentary written reply from Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong), who asked to state the total amount of assets, and to list their types resulting from the misappropriation of funds from 1MDB.

"The cash amounting to RM66.96mil seized by the police has been deposited into a special trust account under the Finance Ministry, while an estimated RM16.06mil seized by the MACC has been transferred to the government's revenue account.

"The 40 handbags are in the process of being auctioned," she added.

In May 2018, police confiscated more than 200 boxes of designer bags from an apartment in Pavillion Residences here.

A month later, police seized more than 40 luxury handbags after raiding the two houses.

The items seized were linked to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.