‘Gift from Saudi royal family to Malaysian PM’

26 January 2016 05:14 am

Malaysia's Attorney- General said today that $681 million transferred into Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account was a gift from the royal family in Saudi Arabia and there were no criminal offences or corruption involved.

The involvement of the Saudi royal family is an unexpected twist in a scandal over the mysterious funds transfer and the troubles of indebted state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whose advisory board Najib chairs.

"I am satisfied with the findings that the funds were not a form of graft or bribery," attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali told a hastily called news conference, where a statement was issued that said Najib had returned $620 million to the Saudi royal family because it had not been utilized.

"There was no reason given as to why the donation was made to PM Najib, that is between him and the Saudi family," Apandi said. (Reuters)