Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has formed a special task force to investigate the 1MDB scandal as well as to prosecute wrongdoers and retrieve related assets.

In a statement this afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the task force would be jointly headed by former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, former MACC head Abu Kassim Mohamed, current MACC head Mohd Shukri Abdull and former police Special Branch head Abdul Hamid Bador.

“The team will consist of (personnel from the) MACC, the Attorney-General's Chambers, the police, Bank Negara and several lawyers who specialise in related matters.

“The task force will be responsible for coordinating investigations, detecting and retrieving assets from the misappropriation of 1MDB funds stashed or invested domestically and abroad,” the statement added.

The task force would also be seeking assistance from the US, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada and other countries.

“The government hopes that the task force – which involves various enforcement agencies – would be able to restore the nation's pride, which has long been tarnished while recovering money and assets belonging to Malaysia as a result of kleptocracy involving wrongdoing and misappropriation of 1MDB funds,” the PMO said.

All four heads of the task force were part of investigations on 1MDB in 2015 before they were either removed from office or put into cold storage.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration had pulled the plug on the previous task force, which was headed by Gani.

Gani was replaced on health grounds by Mohamed Apandi Ali midway during the probe.

Last week, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, following a meeting with Gani, revealed that the latter told him he was in the midst of preparing to charge Najib when he was removed.

Other members of the previous task force were Abu Kassim, former Bank Negara governor Zethi Akhtar Aziz and former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar.