Malaysian police raid ex-PM's residence

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police conducted searches through the night and into Thursday morning at five locations linked to ousted prime minister Najib Razak, including the family home where he stays, a senior police officer said on Thursday.

A lawyer for Najib, who was ousted from office in last week's general election, said police seized handbags and a few other personal items from Najib's home in connection with a money-laundering probe.

A multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, which was founded by Najib, is being investigated by police in at least six countries, including the United States. Najib denies any wrongdoing. Amar Singh, the director of police commercial crime investigations, said that five places linked to Najib were being searched, including the family home in an upmarket Kuala Lumpur district.

Singh gave no other details, but the Star newspaper said searches were also conducted at the prime minister's office, the official residence and two locations linked to Najib's family in a luxury Kuala Lumpur condominium.

"The search is supposed to be under the money laundering act.... They found nothing incriminating," Najib's lawyer Harpal Singh Grewal told reporters who were camped outside the house.

He said police took away personal possessions including a couple of handbags. "Nothing serious. About two, three boxes" of them, Grewal said.

When asked whether Najib would be arrested, he said: "There is no indication that they (the police) will do it."

He said Najib and his family were cooperative with police. "They (the police) also acted professionally," he said. Najib's long-ruling political coalition was defeated in a May 9 general election and just days later, new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad barred Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving the country.

Mahathir said on Thursday that the police have reasons to search Najib's residences.

He said the police have their own standard operating procedure over the search. "My instruction is very clear, not to torture people but treat them decently."

Najib was accused by Mahathir of corruption in relation to 1MDB. Since coming to power, Mahathir has removed the attorney general who cleared Najib of any offense, replaced the anti-corruption head and declassified an 1MDB financial report. He also set up a team to reopen the investigation called off by Najib.

Mahathir's government has also announced that a goods and service tax, which contributed 18 percent of total revenues, will be effectively scrapped from June 1 and be replaced by a sales tax to boost revenue.

Xinhua - Reuters

(China Daily 05/18/2018 page12)