AGC clears 1MDB

PETALING JAYA: The Attorney-General's Chambers has cleared 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) of any offence of making false statements despite Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) request for the matter to be reviewed.
The AGC said in a statement that it had turned down two requests by BNM for action to be taken against 1MDB.
It said an investigation was conducted into 1MDB for an offence under the Exchange Control Act 1953 for knowingly or recklessly making a statement which is false in a material particular.
However, Deputy Solicitor-General I Datuk Tun Majid Tun Hamzah decided there was no offence committed by 1MDB and directed that no further action should be taken.
It said the investigation paper (IP) was returned and the decision communicated to BNM on Sept 11 but the central bank in a letter to AGC on Oct 1 requested the decision to be reviewed.
"Having considered the request and the fact that there was no new evidence made available, the attorney-general decided to maintain the decision made earlier," it added.
The AGC stressed that news reports concerning the IP still being with the chambers were "inaccurate and not true".
Responding to the call by the Malay Rulers for the probe into 1MDB to be completed as soon as possible and for action to be taken against anyone implicated, the AGC said the probe is still underway.
It said investigations by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission have not been completed as some key witnesses' statements have yet to be recorded.
The AGC also clarified that the task force responsible for conducting the probe into 1MDB had never been dissolved nor disbanded, adding that it had never made any statement to that effect.
"In fact, the investigations conducted by the respective agencies were never at any time halted or hindered," it said.
"The attorney-general has been constantly monitoring and giving instructions to the relevant agencies whenever investigations were referred to the AGC, including instructions to expedite the investigations" it added.