PRESSURE is piling up on former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and her family as now MCA is calling the family to be probed over links to the 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) scandal.
“The authorities must probe them as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had confirmed that at least RM65 mil in funds from 1MDB was held in a Singaporean bank account belonging to Datuk Tawfiq Ayman, Zeti’s husband.
“The police had previously interrogated Tawfiq in regards to the matter but no update has been provided so far,” its central committee member Quek Tai Seong said, in a statement.
Last week, the MACC confirmed that Singapore had repatriated US$15.4 mil in 1MDB-linked funds involving a company co-owned by Tawfiq, Cutting Edge Industries Ltd.
However, the agency did not disclose when the funds were actually returned.
Zeti, who is also a witness in former premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1MDB trial, had previously dismissed the allegations levelled against her and her family, saying it was untrue and malicious.
It is to note that in February, the media reported that Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) had alerted BNM in 2015 and 2016 over suspicious transactions involving Tawfiq’s company. Zeti was then serving as the central bank’s governor.
Investigate without fear and favour
Touching on the matter, Quek said that Zeti should shoulder some indirect responsibility over the 1MDB scandal as she was serving as BNM’s top official then.
“And it’s time for the couple to cooperate with the authorities on what actually transpired so the investigation may proceed.
“Although it has been several days since the media first broke news about the pair’s alleged involvement, they have remained silent leading to the public coming up with their own assumptions,” the MCA leader noted.
He added that the authorities should also act without fear and favour against anyone who broke the law so as to ensure that justice is served.
“The most important thing here is exposing the real perpetrators. They should be held accountable for any wrongdoings committed and accept whatever punishment imposed,” Quek stressed.
He remarked: “Due to the various speculation on the case, 1MDB was largely blamed as having caused the downfall of Barisan Nasional after 61 years in power.
“Therefore, it is pertinent for the MACC to conduct a thorough investigation so that the rakyat may know the real story and blind accusations against innocent individuals will stop.” – Nov 23, 2021.
