Home minister: Roger Ng will remain in Malaysia until authorities conclude his involvement in 1MDB scandal

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 9 — Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng is currently in police custody to assist authorities with recovering assets belonging to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said there is no fixed timeline for Roger’s incarceration in Malaysia and authorities are currently investigating him and his involvement in the 1MDB scandal.

“The main reason for Roger’s repatriation was to give us our chance to investigate his involvement in the 1MDB scandal and for us to try to recover whatever assets he stole, be it from 1MDB or Goldman Sachs.

“Malaysia and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had agreed in the past that Roger would stand trial in US first and we had put a deadline of February 2024 for his return to Malaysia.

“However, the DOJ’d investigation was swift and the trial finished sooner than expected hence as per the agreement under the previous administrations, he is back here.

“For now, he is with the police,” Saifuddin told reporters in Putrajaya.

Ng, formerly the Malaysian head of investment banking at Goldman Sachs, has already been convicted by a United States (US) federal court in March of conspiring to steal US$35 million (RM165 million) from 1MDB, and sentenced to serve 10 years in prison there.

However, his prison term in a US jail was deferred after Malaysia sought his return to face 1MDB charges here.

Following bilateral negotiations between the two governments, a US federal court granted an order last Thursday for the US Marshals Service to hand over Ng to Malaysian authorities.

Yesterday Roger was apprehended by Malaysian law enforcement agencies upon his return to Malaysia to complete their respective investigations into the 1MDB scandal.

Among the agencies expected to require information or investigate associates of businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low are the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police.

Saifuddin also said that the former Goldman Sachs investment head is also likely to be called by the Securities Commission (SC) and the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

However, Jho Low, who is the main character in this scandal is still at large.