2015-09-11 HKT 15:13
Hong Kong police are investigating bank deposits allegedly linked to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, as a probe into a troubled Malaysian state investment fund widens.
Hong Kong police confirmed that they were probing a matter a complainant had linked to Najib.
"A man reported to the police on August 30 and requested for the police's investigation on some bank deposits," Hong Kong police said in a statement. "Investigations by Crime Headquarters are under way."
The complaint was lodged by Khairuddin Abu Hassan, a former member of Najib's ruling United Malays National Organisation who was sacked from the party earlier this year.
Khairuddin, a vocal critic of Najib, said the deposits of over US$250 million were made into a Credit Suisse bank account in Hong Kong through four companies linked to Najib.
The Malaysian government spokesperson dismissed these latest allegations as "baseless and politically motivated lies". "The prime minister does not control any Credit Suisse bank accounts in Hong Kong, whether in his name or the name of the companies mentioned," the spokesperson said.
A spokesman for Credit Suisse in Hong Kong declined to comment.
The investigation comes as another blow to Najib, who chairs the advisory board of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) , after Swiss authorities froze millions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts linked to the firm on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.
Hong Kong police confirmed that they were probing a matter a complainant had linked to Najib.
"A man reported to the police on August 30 and requested for the police's investigation on some bank deposits," Hong Kong police said in a statement. "Investigations by Crime Headquarters are under way."
The complaint was lodged by Khairuddin Abu Hassan, a former member of Najib's ruling United Malays National Organisation who was sacked from the party earlier this year.
Khairuddin, a vocal critic of Najib, said the deposits of over US$250 million were made into a Credit Suisse bank account in Hong Kong through four companies linked to Najib.
The Malaysian government spokesperson dismissed these latest allegations as "baseless and politically motivated lies". "The prime minister does not control any Credit Suisse bank accounts in Hong Kong, whether in his name or the name of the companies mentioned," the spokesperson said.
A spokesman for Credit Suisse in Hong Kong declined to comment.
The investigation comes as another blow to Najib, who chairs the advisory board of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) , after Swiss authorities froze millions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts linked to the firm on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1210805-20150911.htm
