Frozen accounts – return 1MDB funds or face action, warns MACC chief

All beneficiaries of illicit funds believed to be from 1MDB should voluntarily return the sums currently frozen in their accounts to the MACC or face legal action, its chief Mohd Shukri Abdull said today.

Shukri, who is a member of the 1MDB special taskforce, also said that no notice was issued to the beneficiaries before their accounts were frozen as the special taskforce's ongoing investigations on 1MDB needed the element of surprise.

"All the accounts that we froze, we have detailed evidence of the money coming from 1MDB," Shukri told a press conference in Petaling Jaya after the launch of a book authored by Transparency-International Malaysia president Akhbar Satar.

"We did not give notice. We did not need to give any notice. This is the taskforce's duty, we don't need to give them notice.

"If we did give notice, then where is the element of surprise?" he said in pointing out that if this had been done, the beneficiaries would then have had an opportunity to transfer the money out of the accounts.

Shukri, therefore, urged all individuals or parties who discovered that their accounts have been frozen to voluntarily meet with the MACC and arrange for the return of the funds.

“I urge all the account owners to come forward and voluntarily return the funds. If they refuse, we will take action under the law.

The money belongs to the rakyat and even if it is one single sen, the taskforce promises to return it.

"If they are not willing to do so, then there are processes under the law.

"We can apply to the court to forfeit their rights to the money," he explained.

The 1MDB taskforce yesterday revealed that a total of 408 bank accounts belonging to individuals, political parties and NGOs - with funds totalling RM1.1 billion - were frozenbetween June 26 and June 29. 

Shukri further revealed that the amount frozen so far only involved accounts in Malaysia and that the sum could increase as the investigations proceeded.

"We have also received good cooperation from other foreign enforcement authorities.

"All this while they have been waiting to cooperate with us in Malaysia," he added.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously revealed that the MACC had frozen bank accountsbelonging to the party in connection with its probe into 1MDB. -Mkini