NOW MALAYSIA TRIES TO GAG SWITZERLAND ON NAJIB'S 1MDB SCANDAL: KEEP IT GOVT TO GOVT - ZAHID WARNS SWISS AG

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today the Swiss Attorney-General’s (AG) office should have gone directly to the Malaysian government to discuss its investigation on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) instead of using the media to reach out to its counterpart.

The deputy prime minister said the matter should have been discussed government-to-government and kept between the Swiss AG and Malaysian AG Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

“I hope all information is released via the official government channels because it is between government-to-government.

“And in making such an open statement, in my opinion, is not good because it not just causes strain to ties between countries but also bias in media reports,” Zahid told reporters after closing a function at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today.

The Bagan Datoh MP added that Putrajaya has left all dealings with the Swiss AG to Apandi and his team. The two authorities are expected to meet soon but Zahid would not specify when.

Swiss AG Michael Lauber said in a media statement on Friday that his office has contacted Malaysia formally to request the country’s aid in his investigation on a possible violation of Switzerland’s laws by 1MDB, which he said detected suspected misappropriation of nearly US$4 billion.

Lauber said the possible violations include corruption, abuse of public office, money laundering, and criminal mismanagement.

The Swiss AG’s office opened criminal proceedings last August against two former 1MDB officials as well as “persons unknown.”

Lauber highlighted in his statement that he had discussed the matter with Apandi at a meeting in Zurich in September.

In his response yesterday, Apandi said his office will decide how to respond once it receives documents from his Swiss counterpart.

The AG said he was eager to establish the details of allegations against the state-owned firm, which he noted was why 1MDB is being scrutinised by several Malaysian agencies.

Earlier, 1MDB issued a statement of its own to declare its willingness to work with any lawful authority investigating it, but qualified this by saying this was dependent on the legal advice it obtains from Putrajaya and Malaysian agencies. - Malay Mail