These accounts are believed to be linked to misappropriation and misappropriation of 1MDB funds

By AZREEN HANI / Graphic By TMR

THE 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) special task force has frozen 408 bank accounts belonging to 81 individuals and 55 companies worth RM1.1 billion.

Some of the accounts, which were frozen on June 26 and June 29, also belong to political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

“It involved 900 transactions between March 2011 and September 2015. These accounts are believed to have been linked to misappropriation and misappropriation of 1MDB funds,” a statement by the task force read.

The task force said it is currently conducting an investigation to determine the level of involvement among parties linked to 1MDB.

The task force also did not dismiss the possibility of freezing more accounts as Malaysian authorities continue to intensify their probes on the controversial state fund.

“All accounts were frozen based on the law and therefore, there is no issue of victimising anyone,” it added.

Last week, the task force confirmed that it had frozen a number of accounts owned by individuals and organisations, including Umno and other political parties believed to be involved in the misappropriation of 1MDB funds.

Apart from Umno, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) also froze the bank account of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) for three months.

“SUPP will comply with any investigation by the authority, as it always had,” SUPP chairman Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said in a statement.

Ex-Prime Minister and 1MDB chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak had spoken out against the task force’s move, saying political parties’ accounts should not be frozen.

“A political party is never wrong in this situation. Umno and SUPP are not guilty in this. Like any other political party including Pakatan Harapan itself, it is a norm to receive political funds,” he said.

Separately, the task force denied freezing the bank account of the Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation (TAFF).

The task force said TAFF has no links to the ongoing investigations into 1MDB.

The 1MDB special task force is led by former Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail; former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, who is current ly DG of the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption; MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull; and Bukit Aman Special Branch director Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador.

The task force was established on May 21, 2018, to probe into all aspects with regards to 1MDB and to repatriate its assets both locally and abroad.