Malaysian prime minister cleared of corruption over $681m Saudi 'gift'

[zenitzz]

Malaysia’s attorney-general said on Tuesday that $681m transferred into prime minister Najib Razak’s personal bank account was a gift from the royal family in Saudi Arabia, and there were no criminal offences or corruption involved.

The involvement of the Saudi royal family is an unexpected twist in a scandal over the mysterious funds transfer and the troubles of indebted state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whose advisory board Najib chairs.

“I am satisfied with the findings that the funds were not a form of graft or bribery,” attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali told a hastily called news conference, where a statement was issued that said Najib had returned $620m to the Saudi royal family because it had not been utilised.

“There was no reason given as to why the donation was made to PM Najib – that is between him and the Saudi family,” Apandi said.

He said no criminal offence was committed by Najib in relation to three investigations submitted by Malaysia’s anti-graft agency and that no further action would be taken.

The Malaysian anti-corruption commission (MACC) had earlier said the funds were a political donation from an unidentified Middle Eastern benefactor.

The attorney-general said in a statement he would return to the MACC papers pertaining to the three separate investigations with instructions to close all three cases.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/26/malaysian-pm-najib-razak-cleared-corruption-gift-saudi-royals

[bryant.coleman]

This is getting more and more ridiculous. A gift worth $0.7 billion? Did it came from an individual within the Saudi Royal Family, or from the Saudi government itself? Even if it came from a single individual, it is a clear example of bribe. The only question here is what the Saudis got in return, for this huge amount of money.

[Betwrong]

This is getting more and more ridiculous. A gift worth $0.7 billion? Did it came from an individual within the Saudi Royal Family, or from the Saudi government itself? Even if it came from a single individual, it is a clear example of bribe. The only question here is what the Saudis got in return, for this huge amount of money.

This is interesting to me too. In fact I can't imagine what it might be however hard I'm trying to. Maybe it was really a gift, a sort of a reward for carrying out the policy which satisfies the interests of the Saudi Royal Family.

[shiryu]

Saudi Arabia is the mother of most terrorism and corruption in the world, They financed overthrow of Egyptian government, they finance ISIS/Islamic terrorism.

[xdrpx]

I think probably there was a misunderstanding or some way to conceal the corrupt practice. Usually the Royal families in middle east prefer to give a large token of apology or gift in cash or other valuables.

[xht]

In a respectable country. any gift above a nominal amount given to a prime minister is passed on to the nation, It does not become personal property.