Why did AGC clear 1MDB of wrongdoing, asks Guan Eng

DAP today asked if the Attorney-General Chambers' (AGC) clearance of state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was meant to distract attention from the scandal. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the move also raised questions whether such an assessment of the Finance Ministry-owned firm was “independently and professionally made based on the rule of law and evidence”. “1MDB has not broken any laws, but what about the purchase of assets and other issues that were raised? Have investigators also interviewed those who lodged police reports, (DAP national publicity secretary and Petaling Jaya Utara MP) Tony Pua and (Pandan MP) Rafizi Ramli? “Those who lodged reports are detained, instead of those who are running 1MDB. Have investigators considered all the evidence? Can they make an independent and professional assessment?” he said at a press conference in Komtar today. Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, added that there still remained the issue of the RM2.6 billion donation Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak received from a Middle Eastern donor. The donor's identity and the purpose of the funds are still unknown. Yesterday, AGC said 1MDB did not commit any offence related to false disclosure despite Bank Negara Malaysia's appeal to review the case. 1MDB officials were investigated under the Exchange Control Act 1953 for knowingly and recklessly making a false statement. But AGC said that although it had considered Bank Negara's appeal, there had been no new evidence to incriminate the firm, which is Najib's brainchild. Lim said the timing of AGC's announcement, which came two days after the Malay rulers expressed their concerns over 1MDB and the rule of law in Malaysia, was “suspicious”. “Was it an attempt to distract attention? The problem is the post of the A-G (attorney-general) is so politicised now,” he said. The current attorney-general, Tan Sri Apandi Mohamed Ali, took up the post on July 28 in an abruptly removal of the former public prosecutor, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, in the midst of a task force probe into 1MDB. – October 9, 2015.