PUTRAJAYA: Some RM7.9bil in funds linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal is being tracked by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which hopes to recover the money by 2027.
Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the funds are under the control of several individuals still holding assets and money overseas.
“In this matter, we are looking to recover another US$2bil (RM7.9bil). It will be a challenge, especially in terms of legal processes. However, MACC has good cooperation with foreign countries,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Azam said that so far, about RM31.3bil or 74.5% of the RM42bil in funds and assets linked to 1MDB, had been recovered. This represents one of the highest asset recovery rates globally for a large-scale financial crime case.
“International standards for recovery funds are about 60% to 70%. We have managed to do more than 70%,” he said.
He added that the achievement reflects the government’s firm commitment to recovering national assets linked to the scandal.
“The total value of assets successfully recovered as of 2025 is RM31.3bil, representing 74.5% of the total amount misappropriated,” he said.
Azam said recovery efforts have been ongoing since 2019, with RM1.15bil recovered that year, followed by RM14.257bil in 2020, RM5.11bil in 2021, RM400.38mil in 2022, RM8.08bil in 2023, RM715.95mil in 2024 and RM1.56bil this year.
He said the recovery process involved international cooperation and legal mechanisms with agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. MACC had also worked with countries like Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Singapore to recover assets.
Among the major assets recovered were proceeds from the sale of the luxury yacht Equanimity, amounting to about RM543mil, as well as the return of a private jet and overseas properties.
Azam said Malaysia has also secured global settlements involving international financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, IPIC and Aabar, as well as audit firms Deloitte and KPMG, totalling billions of ringgit.
He said MACC remains fully committed to tracing and recovering every misappropriated asset regardless.
“No one will escape legal action, and every sen belonging to the people will be returned,” he said.
“Our commitment in facing the challenges involving the 1MDB case since July 3, 2015, is historic because I was the one who opened the 1MDB investigation file.
“It has been 11 years since the case was first brought to court. Now, the process is focused on asset recovery,” he added.
