Ex-PM says he doesn't know how Rosmah's jewellery was paid for

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak says he does not know the source of funding for his wife Rosmah Mansor's jewellery.

Najib, in an interview with Reuters, was asked about the jewellery – which includes a US$27.3 million pink diamond set, which the US Department believes businessperson Low Taek Jho purchased for Rosmah using 1MDB funds.

"I do not know exactly the source of funding for these things," he was quoted as saying.

Najib also pointed to one instance where Rosmah said she did not receive a jewellery gift promised to her.

"All I know is when I asked my wife, she said that there was one instance it was supposed to be a gift for her. But she never received it," he said.

Apart from jewellery for his wife, the DOJ also believed 1MDB funds were diverted to help fund his stepson Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz's film industry ambitions, which includes production credit on the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street.

Najib said that the source of that funding was being investigated, and declined to elaborate.

"...I would also like to place on record that Riza has done very well... the movies, the box office sales have reached beyond US$800 million.

"So it is not abusing concern. It is a profitable concern. But the source of funding is subject to investigation. I think we will leave at that," he was quoted as saying.

Silent for a reason

Najib also defended his decision to remain silent on the 1MDB scandal when he was prime minister.

"All these things happened outside Malaysia.

“There would have been some international ramifications if I were to say something, because I would name certain prominent individuals who might affect our diplomatic relations with them.

"It was on that basis I refrained from saying it," he said.

The DOJ believes at least US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB to benefit Malaysian officials and their associates.

This include the multibillion ringgit deposits in Najib's personal bank account, which the former prime minister insists was a "donation." -Mkini