The Malaysian Insight

THE charges to be filed against former prime minister Najib Razak and former 1Malaysia Development Bhd president Arul Kanda Kandasamy over alleged tampering of the 1MDB audit report will have no bearing on the Public Accounts Committee probe into the same case, said the anti-corruption chief today. 

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is charging both men tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court. 

MACC chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull said the PAC could not press charges as it had no prosecutorial powers.

“The PAC has no power to charge. Leave it to MACC. We have completed our investigation. Let’s wait for the court’s decision. 

“I think the PAC findings will be the same as ours. But I don’t know what action the PAC will take (after the probe),” he told reporters in at the Bukit Mertajam train station this afternoon. 

MACC and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd today launched an anti-corruption campaign for commuters today.

The PAC is investigating allegations that the 1MDB audit report it received in March 2016 had been tampered with.

Najib, who was the PM and the 1MDB advisory board chairman at the time, was arrested by MACC yesterday morning when he showed up at its headquarters for questioning. He has since been released on bail. 

Arul Kanda was arrested by MACC earlier today. 

MACC has also questioned its former chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad over the case. 

The investigations are prompted by Auditor-General Madinah Mohamad’s revelations on November 25 that the final audit report was altered on Najib’s instructions. 

She said two key points – the presence of businessman Low Taek Jho at a 1MDB board meeting, and the state investor’s financial status – were removed from the report. – December 11, 2018.