Here’s a recap of major headlines yesterday you may have missed.
1MDB international dragnet widens
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has confirmed that it is questioning banks on the flow of funds through the city-state's banking system as part of its probe on 1MDB.
Officials from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had travelled to Malaysia to meet several individuals in its investigation into 1MDB, reported Reuters citing unnamed sources.
Responding to the report, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar told Malaysiakini that officials from the DOJ cannot question individuals in Malaysia without the presence of local police officers.
DOJ officials have also asked Deutsche Bank AG and JPMorgan Chase & Co to provide details on their dealings with 1MDB as global investigations into the troubled Malaysian state fund widen.
Fallout in WSJ exposé
CIMB chairperson Nazir Razak had expressed regret in helping his brother Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak distribute US$7 million (RM27 million) to politicians in the ruling party before the 2013 general election. "I understand the furore, and with hindsight, I wish I didn't ," he stated in an Instagram post.
The shopping sprees alleged by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) appear to match the dates in reports on Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor’s 2014 holiday in southern Europe .
The exposé on Najib's allegedly lavish spending by WSJ yesterday was absent in many local dailies . They instead opted to publish rebuttals from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and 1MDB, which did not touch on the multi-million-ringgit splurging on clothes and jewellery.
Despite the damning accusations by WSJ and ABC, Najib’s lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun said he has yet to receive any instructions to act or file suit against them.
Najib’s press secretary Tengku Sariffudin Tengku Ahmad will be subpoenaed by co-plaintiff Khairuddin Abu Hassan in the misfeasance lawsuit against Najib, after Tengku Sariffudin’s defence of his 'Bugis warior' boss over the multi-billion donation scandal caught Khairuddin's eye.
CIMB chairperson Nazir Razak said he now thinks he should not have helped his brother Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak...
Posted by Malaysiakini on Friday, 1 April 2016
Rafizi goes for broke
PKR lawmaker Rafizi Ramli hopes his success story on bringing National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) to court can be repeated with 1MDB after he was quizzed by police over the matter.
He said he had no idea who gave him the classified document linking 1MDB with Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT).
Rafizi’s wife told Malaysiakini she had prepared for the possible arrest of her husband since the couple tied the knot almost five years ago.
Some however think that Rafizi would have been more useful to Pakatan Harapan and the rakyat by continuing his good work outside jail instead of counting bars .
“They are doing something to silence him by arresting him, we are happy with that.“He (Rafizi) is happy with what he’s...
Posted by Malaysiakini on Friday, 1 April 2016
More Kini bites
The government announced the appointment of Edmund Bon as the new Malaysian representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) for 2016-2018, replacing lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who had served from 2010 to 2015.
The lawyers who gathered in front of the Bukit Aman police headquarters in support of their colleagues being questioned for a motion calling for the resignation of the attorney-general tabled at their recent annual general meeting yesterday did not rally or protest , as was reported, the Malaysian Bar vice-president George Varughese clarified.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad took a breather from plotting to oust Najib, to catch renowned pianist Richard Clayderman at a concert with his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and former culture minister Sabbaruddin Chik.
Looking ahead
PKR to hold an anti-Najib and anti-GST rally at Dataran Merdeka, which the police have declared off-limits.
Protesters are to gather at Sogo shopping mall at 2pm before marching to Dataran Merdeka.
