Special task force freezes six accounts

Six bank accounts connected to allegations of channelling of funds to the Prime Minister have been frozen.

In a joint statement, the special task force which was formed to probe the allegations, stated that the order to freeze the accounts was issued on July 6.

“The special task force has also obtained documents on 17 accounts in two banks to assist with investigations.

“Several documents pertaining to non-compliance of Bank Negara Malaysia’s rules and procedures were also seized,” the statement said.

As investigations are still under way, the task force has urged all parties to give their cooperation to allow for the probe to be completed.

The statement was issued jointly by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.

Last Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that funds amounting to US$700mil (RM2.6bil) had been channelled to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s personal accounts.

The Prime Minister’s Office responded by saying that the article was “political sabotage” while 1MDB insisted that no funds had been transferred to Najib’s accounts.

Najib also refuted the claims, maintaining that the allegations were a political ploy engineered by his opponents, among them former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in an attempt to topple him.