ANTI-GRAFT authorities have recovered more than RM30 billion in assets linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, marking one of the highest recovery rates globally.
The chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Tan Sri Azam Baki, said the total represents over 70 per cent of the estimated RM42 billion misappropriated from the state investment fund.
“MACC has successfully recovered more than 70 per cent of 1MDB assets, amounting to RM30 billion out of RM42 billion, making it the highest rate in the world compared to the global average of less than 30 per cent,” he said.
He described the achievement as evidence of Malaysia’s sustained commitment to tracing and repatriating misappropriated assets across jurisdictions.
Azam was speaking at the sixth MACC Media Awards ceremony in 2026, where he also highlighted ongoing efforts to reclaim high-value artworks purchased using diverted 1MDB funds.
In a related development, he said the government, led by the MACC, has successfully repatriated four artworks worth nearly RM800,000. The pieces were previously acquired with misused 1MDB funds and have now been returned to Malaysia.
Authorities are also pursuing the recovery of seven additional artworks currently held by the international auction house Christie's in the United States.
The four recovered works include pieces by Joan Miró, Maurice Utrillo, Balthus, and Pablo Picasso. They are currently being held in a secure, climate-controlled facility to ensure their preservation.
The artworks are undergoing environmental stabilisation before formal unsealing, authentication and valuation by the National Visual Arts Development Board.
The MACC said these efforts form part of a broader strategy to restore public assets and reinforce accountability in one of the country’s most significant financial scandals. - April 18, 2026
