MALAYSIA’S bid to secure the extradition of former Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner from the United States represents a firm declaration that accountability in the 1MDB scandal must be “comprehensive and borderless”, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) said.
TI-M president Raymon Ram said the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ confirmation that Malaysia has been seeking Leissner’s return for the past year demonstrates that the government is escalating its pursuit of justice.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers has stated unequivocally that Malaysia will not relent in seeking justice and redress from all individuals and institutions involved, and this action demonstrates that commitment in practice.
“Extradition, especially following a foreign conviction, reflects a willingness to use every available legal pathway to ensure Malaysia’s courts can fully address the wrongdoing. This effort also highlights Malaysia’s increasingly robust approach to international cooperation,” he told the New Straits Times.
Raymon described the push for extradition as a strategic move to close critical evidentiary gaps relating to fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, and to verify key claims made by former Goldman banker Roger Ng, who returned to Malaysia in 2023 after serving his sentence in the US.
“Malaysian authorities are already debriefing Ng, and Leissner’s testimony could directly corroborate or clarify the information Ng has provided.
“Ng has indicated that important evidence, including communications, devices and internal correspondence, never surfaced during his US trial, and Leissner is uniquely positioned to confirm or contextualise these claims.
“His cooperation will also be highly relevant to Malaysia’s efforts to bring Low to justice. US prosecutors have long described Leissner, Ng, and Low as key architects working in concert.
“Any new details from Leissner regarding fund flows, bribery arrangements, or intermediary networks could support Malaysia’s pursuit of Low through diplomatic, investigative, and Interpol channels,” he said.
He added that Malaysia has already charged several Goldman Sachs executives and that Leissner’s insight into internal decision-making within the bank’s Asia operations could prove pivotal.
“Leissner’s understanding of how compliance warnings were handled and red flags overridden could reinforce or expand those cases,” he said.
“In essence, Leissner’s return will help Malaysia close remaining evidentiary gaps, validate overlapping testimonies, and advance accountability across all levels of the 1MDB network.
“It will strengthen prosecutions, sharpen the pursuit of fugitives, and enhance Malaysia’s position in both criminal and asset-recovery actions.” - December 13, 2025
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