KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police on Thursday searched ousted prime minister Najib Razak’s home and other places linked to him in connection with an investigation into the scandal-plagued state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Police entered Najib’s family home late on Wednesday, an extraordinary scene that thousands watched unfold as it was streamed live.
Few would have predicted such a scenario before a May 9 general election that he was expected to win.
Amar Singh, director of police commercial crime investigations, said that searches were being carried out at the home, at the prime minister’s office and a residence he had used, as well as two apartments owned by his family.
“We are in the midst of collecting information, we will have more details once we have completed our search,” he said, confirming that the searches were related to investigations into the 1MDB scandal that had dogged Najib since 2015.
Authorities in at least six countries, including the United States, are investigating the multi-billion dollar scandal over the fund that Najib founded.
Najib has denied any wrongdoing.
A lawyer for Najib, Harpal Singh Grewal, said on Thursday afternoon the police search had gone on for almost 18 hours and was “harassment”.
Najib had indicated he was “prepared and willing to extend his fullest cooperation” to authorities but their long presence and the drilling open of a long-unopened safe suggested “unwarranted harassment,” Grewal said. — Reuters
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
