Prime Minister Najib Razak's claim that 1MDB is not directly involved in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit is "shocking", as the fund is mentioned all over the court documents, said DAP.

"In fact, without 1MDB, the DOJ 136-page legal suits would have no legs to stand on, and would immediately collapse.

“'1MDB' is strewn all over the 136-page report, and in the first 20 pages, there are over 130 references.

"How then can Najib say that 1MDB is not directly involved in the DOJ report?" said DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang in his speech for a dinner in Johor Bahru last night.

Najib, the Umno president, was reported saying at a press conference after chairing a Umno supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, "1MDB has no assets in the United States, and 1MDB is not directly named in the report."

"Najib should not take Malaysians for fools or simpletons," said Lim, who is Gelang Patah MP.

Lim added US attorney-general Loretta E Lynch at her press conference on July 20 also mentioned 1MDB.

"[She said] 1MDB was 'intended to grow the Malaysian economy and support the Malaysian people. Instead, they were stolen, laundered through American financial institutions and used to enrich a few officials and their associates'," he noted.

'Najib must sue US'

Lim said Najib should also deny speculation he is the 'Malaysian Official 1' cited in the DOJ documents, and sue the US government for defamation.

"Let me ask Najib a question I had posed in Batu Pahat last night - whether Najib will deny he is 'Malaysian Official 1' or will he admit he is being referred to in DOJ legal suits and sue the US attorney-general for defamation for implying or insinuating that he was involved," he said.

"As 'Malaysian Official 1' is described as a kingpin of the multibillion ringgit 1MDB global embezzlement, money-laundering and corruption, will Najib therefore institute legal proceedings against the US Attorney-General for defamation?"

The court documents mentioned 'Malaysian Official 1' 36 times. However, the identity of the official has yet to be officially confirmed.