PETALING JAYA: Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin says the division is willing to return any 1MDB money allegedly given to them by former prime minister Najib Razak if the government can prove that the funds came from the state investment arm.
The Kinabatangan MP added that the money had been used for party activities during the election.
His comments come hours after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that it has filed civil forfeiture applications against 41 individuals and entities to recover some RM270 million reportedly transferred from Najib’s account.
The 41 include state Umno divisions and branches, textile store Jakel Trading, jewellery franchise Habib Jewels Sdn Bhd, Barisan Nasional (BN) component party divisions, right-wing groups and business entities.
MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the forfeitures filed under Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act are to recover RM270 million of 1MDB money transferred to Najib’s account and later to the individuals and entities.
She added that MACC is allowing the individuals concerned to return the money voluntarily to avoid further prosecution.
Bung said Sabah Umno had wanted to safeguard the party’s money which he added has since been frozen.
“We as the receiver did not ask where the money came from. So we leave it to the MACC to prove (that it came from 1MDB).”
Adding that the matter took place before he became Sabah Umno chairman, he said he would nonetheless cooperate with MACC in its investigations.
Pahang MCA chief Hoh Khai Mun whose division also received funds said as far as they knew, they were accepting money from the BN chairman.
“If a father gives his son money, the son takes it. He doesn’t ask where the money came from,” he told FMT.
He added that they had not known whether the money came from 1MDB and that it was meant to run the party.
“We only knew it was from Najib. They have to prove that it was from 1MDB.”
Hoh, who has led Pahang MCA since 2014, said they would consult their lawyer on the next course of action.
Former minister Hasan Malek, who was also named as one of the receivers, said he too would be seeking advice from his lawyers about the matter.
The former domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister added that he would give no further comment until then.
FMT is contacting every name listed by MACC for a response. -FMT
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