Najib questioned by anti-graft agency

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia - Former prime minister Najib Razak was interrogated on Tuesday over a corruption scandal that could lead to criminal charges against him as the country's new anti-graft chief said a probe into the case was suppressed by intimidation during Najib's rule.

Najib was summoned by Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Commission nearly two weeks after the defeat of his long-ruling coalition in national elections, a loss partly blamed on public anger over alleged graft at the 1MDB state investment fund that Najib set up. US investigators say Najib's associates stole and laundered $4.5 billion from the fund between 2009 and 2014, some of which landed in Najib's bank account.

Swarmed by reporters, Najib looked calm and smiled as he was escorted into the commission's offices. At a news conference, new commission chief Mohamad Shukri Abdull said criminal charges against Najib could come "very soon" but that he won't be arrested on Tuesday.

Najib has denied any wrongdoing since the scandal erupted in 2015.

"Let the law take its course," Shukri told reporters. He said evidence for the domestic money trail has been completed but it could take "a long time" to investigate activities abroad and talk to witnesses. The findings of Malaysia and US investigations are "almost similar", he said.

Najib and his wife have been barred from leaving the country after the new government reopened an investigation into the scandal. Police have raided his home and other properties linked to him, seizing hundreds of expensive designer handbags and luggage stuffed with cash, jewelry and other valuables.

Najib's questioning at the anti-graft agency was specifically over why 42 million ringgit ($10.6 million) was transferred into his bank account from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, using multiple intermediary companies. The money was in addition to about $700 million that US investigators said landed in Najib's bank account.

New Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said the investigations showed the wrongdoing at 1MDB was more serious than expected.

Mahathir, who was premier for 22 years until 2003 and was spurred out of retirement by the 1MDB scandal, has vowed there will be "no deal" for Najib and he will face the consequences if found guilty of wrongdoing.

Ap - Afp

(China Daily 05/23/2018 page12)