Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho are among the 18 witnesses to be called up before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), announced PAC chairman Ronald Kiandee on 27 September.

Malaysian former Prime Minister Najib Razak (middle) (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

He said that after a special meeting on 25 September, the 12-member committee has decided to launch an investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal based on the report from the US Department of Justice regarding the fund in 2016 and 2017.

Former PM Najib Razak and Low Taek Jho were not called to the PAC in the previous investigation, but the PAC has since defined that the two hold specific roles in this investigation as the special advisors of the 1MDB.

The first proceeding will be held on 29 October, with former Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang called in to testify before the committee, he added.

Najib founded the 1MDB investment fund in 2009, supposedly to serve Malaysia’s development through global partnerships and foreign direct investment.

The former PM was last week accused of a total of 25 charges, including four counts of abuse of power, involving 2.3 billion ringgit (556.3 million USD), and 21 counts of money laundering. However, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Since his fall from grace in May this year, Najib has faced seven accusations related to the 1MDB, including money laundering, irresponsibility, and power abuse.

He was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust in his former posts as a prime minister and a minister of finance, in association with the transfer of 42 million ringgit, or 10 million USD, from SRC International Sdn Bhd to his personal bank accounts between August 2011 and March 2015. He then received three more accusations related to money laundering.

Najib was released after paying a bail of 250,000 USD.

(Source: VNA)