Malaysian investigators say looking into PM's wife bank account

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysian investigators are looking into bank transactions by the prime minister's wife, a statement by a special task force said on Friday, following media reports that large sums of cash were deposited into her account.

"The task force knew about this (transactions into Rosmah Mansor's bank account) before the (media) expose and an investigation is being conducted," said the task force probing allegations of misappropriation of funds from state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Activist website Sarawak Report said in a story on Thursday that RM2 million in cash had been deposited into Rosmah's account in Affin Bank Bhd earlier this year.

An Affin Bank spokesperson said it is unable to comment or disclose information in relation to the bank's customers and accounts.

Ms Rosmah's spokesman declined immediate comment.

Last week the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that investigators looking into 1MDB had traced close to US$700 million of deposits into personal bank accounts belonging to Prime Minister Najib Razak, according to documents from the probe.

1MDB's office was raided on Wednesday, while on Thursday an interim report on 1MDB by the national auditor was handed over to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny.

REUTERS