MACC probed PM Najib in 2015 over suspected US$681m bribes for GE13 vote-buying, investigator tells 1MDB trial
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) began probing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2015 over US$681 million which entered his private bank account, over suspicion that the money was used for vote-buying ahead of the 13th general elections (GE13) in 2013, the High Court heard today in his criminal trial.
MACC investigating officer Senior Superintendent Nur Aida Arifin said this while testifying as the 49th prosecution witness in Najib's trial over alleged power abuse charges relating to over RM2.2 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds.
Nur Aida said she had taken over the MACC investigation on alleged misappropriation of 1MDB funds on May 14, 2018, replacing the initial MACC investigating officer Mohd Nasharudin Amri who had started investigations in August 2015.
She was assistant investigating officer in the investigation previously before being made the investigating officer in May 2018.
“Information received stated that in 2013, prime minister YAB Datuk Seri Mohd Najib bin Abdul Razak through his account at AmPrivate Banking, AmBank Berhad number 2112022009694 had received money totalling around USD 681 million from Tanore Finance Corporation through Falcon Private Bank Singapore where it is suspected that money is wang rasuah (bribery money) used by YAB Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak to buy votes during preparation to face the 2013 general elections. This complaint was made to carry out investigations under Section 16 MACC Act 2009,” Nur Aida said in reading out the original complaint dated May 4, 2015 made by an officer to enable the MACC probe.
Nur Aida also read out the contents of a May 17, 2018 complaint which she had signed, where it was stated that information was received that the former prime minister Najib had between 2011 and 2013 as the chairman of 1MDB's advisory board and as finance minister received gratification through 1MDB's public investment funds totalling RM3.217 billion which were sent to his private AmBank account (the same account number ending 9694) for his personal interests.
In her 2018 complaint, Nur Aida said it was made to enable investigations to be carried out under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.
She said the focus of the Section 23 investigations was relating to the “very big sums” of money which entered Najib's private bank accounts (account number ending 9694 or codenamed AmPrivate Banking-MR and account number ending 1880 or codenamed AmPrivate Banking-1MY) between 2011 and 2014 where Najib was alleged to have used his position to obtain gratification.
She noted that these years were when Najib was prime minister, finance minister and also the chairman of 1MDB's advisory board.
Najib was prime minister from April 3, 2009 and was again appointed as prime minister on May 6, 2013, a post he held until 2018. He was finance minister from September 17, 2008 until 2018.
According to Nur Aida, she had investigated all documents she obtained during investigations.
These included those obtained from the Malaysian police, 1MDB, Bank Negara Malaysia, financial institutions such as AmBank, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA), the Finance Ministry, the Prime Minister's Department and other agencies, as well as documents from abroad like Switzerland, Singapore, Barbados, Hong Kong and the Netherlands through a mutual legal assistance law.
She said she had also obtained photos, pendrives, audio recordings and audio recordings' transcript, as well as original documents and their copies during the investigation.
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