Malaysia's anti-graft body may appeal against clean chit to PM

Malaysia's anti-graft body today said it is "most likely" toappeal the decision absolving Prime Minister Najib Razak of criminal wrongdoing in the channelling of nearly USD 700 million donation from Saudi Arabia's royal family into his private accounts.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)special operations director Bahri Mohd Zin saidit is "most likely" that the Commission would consider appealing to the Attorney-General to reconsider his decision in the "straightforward case".
Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali in a press conference yesterday had said that the probe by the anti-corruption agency found no evidence to show that the USD 681 million donation was "an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do anything in relation to his capacity as Prime Minister".

On the SRC International case, Apandi said there was no evidence that Najib had abused his position during a Cabinet meeting that approved a government guarantee on the loan from Retirement Fund Inc, a pension fund.
Bahri was one of the MACC directors that was transferred to the Prime Minister's Department on August 7, 2015.
He was later reinstated to his original post three days later.

Apandi had yesterday said that documents showed that the USD 681 million (RM 2.08 billion) was transferred to Najib's personal accounts between March 22 and April 10, 2013 from the Saudi royal family.
He said Najib returned USD 620 million to the Saudi royal family in August 2013 as the money was not utilised. He, however, did not say what happened to the remaining USD 61 million.

The Attorney-General did not say why the Saudi royal family donated RM 2.08 billion to the Prime Minister, after giving his reasons for closing the investigation.
"It is between the (Saudi royal) family and the Prime Minister," he said.
The Attorney-General's decision came as a major relief for the beleaguered premier who has been under intense pressure to resign over the financial scandal.