KUALA LUMPUR – The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is tracking and identifying several documents as well as witnesses abroad to assist in the investigation of Datuk Tawfiq Ayman, the husband of the former Bank Negara Malaysia governor, on allegations of receiving funds linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said police had contacted the countries involved and have not received the required response.
“The investigation paper has been wrapped up and will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action but we have received orders to obtain the documents and witnesses involved,” he said in a media conference here today.
According to Kamarudin, police cannot arbitrarily obtain the statements of witnesses and related documents, and have to wait for the green light from the countries involved.
Earlier. the media reported that Tawfiq had issued a statement via legal firm Tetuan Jagjit, Ariff & Co to clarify he had not received any form of bribes from anybody.
The statement comes as former Goldman Sachs banker, Tim Leissner testifies in the trial of his former colleague Roger Ng at the high court in Brooklyn, New York.
Leissner was reported to have mentioned in his testimony Tawfiq’s involvement in the corruption of the joint project between PetroSaudi and 1MDB.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had earlier reported that at least RM65 million linked to 1MDB funds was withdrawn from Singapore and kept in a company owned by Tawfiq. – Bernama, March 4, 2022
