Malaysia's anti-graft agency met donor of funds in PM Najib's account: report

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's anti-graft agency has interviewed the donor behind deposits of 2.6 billion ringgit (S$863.7 million) that were placed in Prime Minister Najib Razak's bank account, the New Straits Times reported on its website on Monday, citing an agency official.

The report comes after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) questioned Mr Najib for two-and-a-half hours on Saturday, in a case that has prompted calls for the prime minister's resignation.

A graft scandal erupted around Mr Najib in July when the Wall Street Journal reported that investigators focused on state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) had found that funds had been transferred into Mr Najib's personal accounts.

Mr Najib who chairs the 1MDB advisory board, has denied wrongdoing or taking any money for personal gain. The MACC had said earlier that the money was a political donation from an unidentified Middle Eastern benefactor.

MACC's investigations division director Azam Baki was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that investigators met the donor recently in the Middle East. He gave no further details on the identity of the donor, the report said. "Once we have completed our investigation, we will hand over the findings to the deputy public prosecutor, who will decide on the next course of action," Mr Azam was quoted as saying.

MACC was not immediately available to comment on the report.

REUTERS