Former AG unable to recall reason AGC declined further action on 1MDB

 

Former attorney-general Tan Sri Apandi Ali says he could not remember the reasons behind the Attorney-General's Chambers’ (AGC) decision to decline further action against 1MDB eight years ago. - NSTP/SAIFULLIZAN TAMADI.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former attorney-general Tan Sri Apandi Ali says he could not remember the reasons behind the Attorney-General's Chambers' (AGC) decision to decline further action against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) eight years ago.

However, Apandi said it was a collective decision of the task force which includes officers from the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"There must be a reason for the matter to be classified as 'No Further Action (NFA)'.

"Without the investigation paper (IP) and the minutes therein, I cannot remember the reason. This happened eight years ago.

"But I do remember going over the IP (as) we at the AGC also had a task force.

"Whatever decision, (it) was a collective decision of the task force," he said when contacted today.

Apandi said this when asked to comment on reports that AGC during his tenure as AG has declined to take further action against 1MDB despite damning evidence gathered by the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Former BNM governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz revealed this when testified in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's corruption trial for allegedly misappropriating millions of funds belonging to 1MDB.

She said BNM on Oct 1, 2015, wrote to the AGC to reconsider its decision and further stressed on the omission of material information by 1MDB in its application for the foreign exchange administration (FEA) permission.

"1MDB had not only failed to provide full and complete information in its applications for the FEA permission but had provided false information.

"The AGC however did not reply to BNM's appeal," she said, adding that BNM on Aug 14, 2015, had ordered 1MDB to repatriate back all its funds that were illegally and falsely remitted abroad.y

Apandi also added: "Zeti is really not what she is trying to portray…"

Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. - NST