KINIGUIDE | The United States Department of Justice's third filing in the 1MDB civil forfeiture lawsuit has prompted Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to challenge the department to press criminal charges against those they claim were involved in the crime of money laundering and siphoning cash from 1MDB.

This has been a sticking point for those casting doubt over the action, who also argue the lack of criminal proceedings show that no crime had in fact been committed.

So why is the DOJ opting for civil action and not criminal proceedings?

This question is not new and was also posed to then United States attorney-general Loretta Lynch, while a Kiniguide on the matter was compiled by Malaysiakini days after...