– The Malaysian Insider filepic, October 13, 2015.Umno minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan today took to his Twitter account to slam Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz for misleading the public about 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) breaching the Exchange Control Act.
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“It is further noted that the relevant exchange control forms, namely 09A and 06B do not require the applicant to supply the names of the beneficiary owners, or the bank accounts numbers of the recipients, or the manner as to how the funds were to be channelled”, he added.
But Tan Sri Apandi said yesterday that 1MDB could not be faulted for failing to disclose information when the central bank did not request it in the past.
Apandi said that when 1MDB requested Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad to remit to a different account, the bank sought clearance from Bank Negara.
Saying that Pua has assumed the position of “instant expert” on technical matters to score political points, 1MDB asserted that according to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, having reviewed the investigation papers and recommendations of BNM, it has determined that no further action is to be taken.
“Bank Negara being the controller did not stop the remittance or direct Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad to advise 1MDB to revert to Bank Negara For a review of the permission. Clearly there was no information or further information requested by Bank Negara Malaysia at that material time”, Ali pointed out.
Najib Razak, the Malaysian prime minister mired by controversy amid a state financial scandal, is looking increasingly isolated after a rare display of public dissent within his ruling party.
He also said the authorities were acting lawfully in detaining a duo – who have been campaigning globally to uncover alleged financial misconduct in 1MDB – for up to a month using security measures that automatically deny them bail. Asked if he would call for Najib’s resignation, Muhyiddin said: “I don’t need to say it as others have said it…”
Mr Najib has refused to explain how $US700 million ($956 million) turned up in his personal bank accounts before national elections in 2013 or what happened to the money.
Malaysia’s attorney general said on Tuesday that he was right to close an investigation by the country’s central bank into troubled state-owned investor 1MDB as there was no evidence the fund’s officials had knowingly flouted the law. What I’m asking is for them to be more expressive through the many platforms.
“No one, not even the rulers, may comment on obvious government abuses of the laws of the country”, Mahathir wrote in a blog post Friday.
1MDB was set up by Najib in 2009 to develop new industries, but faces accusations of graft and mismanagement after it accumulated at least 42 billion ringgit (US$10 billion) in debt.
Dr Mahathir ruled Malaysia from 1986 to 2003.
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They could be jailed for up to 15 years if found guilty.
