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WORLD NEWS Thursday 17 May 2018

Malaysian police raid ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak's house

By EILEEN NG
Associated Press
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
(AP) — Malaysian police
visited former Prime Minis-
ter Najib Razak's house late
Wednesday, reportedly
searching for documents
as part of a renewed probe
into a massive corruption
scandal involving a state
investment fund that is be-
ing investigated abroad.
More than a dozen police
vehicles arrived at Najib's
house shortly after he re-
turned home from prayers
at a nearby mosque, fu-
eling speculation that he
may be arrested after new
Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad warned that
he could be charged soon
over the 1MDB fund fiasco.
Commercial crime direc-
tor Amar Singh Ishar Singh
told local media that po-
lice were searching for
evidence in an ongoing
probe and that it was be-
ing carried out at five loca- Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reads a note during a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Wednesday, May
tions belonging to or linked 16, 2018.
to Najib. He declined to
give details. Police officials ciates, some of which land- Mahathir said the govern- ing Malaysia. The govern- has been blamed for rais-
couldn't be immediately ed in his bank account. ment will seek to retrieve ment has also told the cur- ing the cost of living and
reached for comment. Earlier Wednesday, Maha- billions of dollars laundered rent attorney general, who has angered many Malay-
The national Bernama news thir said the government from 1MDB to repay gov- cleared Najib of wrongdo- sians.
agency cited sources as will make arrests as soon as ernment debts that have ing in 2016, to go on leave, After being sworn in as Ma-
saying that the police were there is clear evidence and piled up over the years. and has relieved the coun- laysia's seventh prime min-
searching for documents reiterated that there will be "The focus on corruption try's treasury chief, who is ister last Thursday, Maha-
related to 1MDB and that "no deal" for Najib in the is important because we also the 1MDB chairman, of thir moved swiftly to name
raids occurred simultane- scandal. need to get back money his duties. new finance, home affairs
ously at the prime minister's Mahathir, 92, said an initial which is still in Switzerland, Mahathir, who was prime and defense ministers but
office, the prime minister's investigation showed the the U.S., Singapore and minister for 22 years until has not appointed a full
official residence and an scale of wrongdoing by maybe Luxembourg. For in 2003, emerged from re- Cabinet amid horse trad-
upscale condominium in Najib's administration was this, we will contact the tirement to join hands with ing among his four-party al-
the city. more serious than expect- governments of the coun- former political foes to oust liance for posts. He said he
Mahathir has not yet ed. tries to recover the money Najib amid anger over the hoped this week to have
moved into the prime min- Mahathir said he has met there," Mahathir said. 1MDB scandal. He said his a 10-member Cabinet be-
ister's office or residence. with ousted Attorney Gen- "The money belongs to Ma- new government is also fore expanding it later but
He reopened a probe into eral Abdul Gani Patail, who laysia and it came from seeking to cut wastage in acknowledged it was a
the 1MDB scandal after his said he had been prepar- 1MDB. We will appeal for the government, including challenge navigating his
alliance won a stunning ing to file criminal charges the money to be returned possibly axing 17,000 politi- alliance.
election victory last week, against Najib when he was to Malaysia." cal appointees. "It is difficult. It is time con-
ousting Najib and ending abruptly removed in 2015. He said the government is The finance ministry said in suming and energy con-
the National Front's 60-year Gani led an investigation also committed to repay- a statement Wednesday suming and I don't get
grip on power. Najib start- by multiple agencies into ing any debts linked to the that a 6 percent goods and much sleep but I have to
ed the fund in 2009 and U.S. the scandal at the time, fund that it has guaran- services tax introduced by do it because they ap-
investigators say at least which was later closed af- teed. Najib in 2016 to boost gov- pointed me as prime minis-
$4.5 billion was stolen and ter Najib was cleared of Najib and his wife have ernment revenues will be ter. I cannot complain very
laundered by Najib's asso- wrongdoing. been barred from leav- abolished June 1. The tax much," he said.q