Proof needed before Malaysia investigates China-1MDB reports, Mahathir says

The Prime Minister has questioned a recent article claiming Beijing offered to derail investigations into the sovereign wealth fund in exchange for the approval of projects linked to the belt and road plan

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says the government needs “to find this document and make use of [it] as proof that this thing actually happened”. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:18pm, 10 Jan 2019Updated: 9:10pm, 10 Jan 2019

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has questioned a recent news report claiming China had offered to bail out the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund in 2016 in exchange for projects, saying proof was needed before his administration could look into the matter.

“There are documents I suppose, but [they] must be in our hands before we can accept the statement made. So until then we cannot take action,” the premier told reporters at a press conference earlier today.

“We need to find this document and make use of the document as proof that this thing actually happened. At the moment it is just a story in the press, that’s all. We have no documents.”

The Wall Street Journal earlier this week reported that Beijing had offered to help derail investigations into scandal-ridden 1MDB in exchange for the approval of infrastructure projects under its multibillion-dollar “Belt and Road Initiative”, which involves the construction of roads, ports, railways and pipelines in more than 50 countries.

The Journal – citing the scandal-tainted Najib Razak administration’s summary of the minutes from private, undisclosed meetings between senior officials – claimed Beijing promised to influence the US and other countries into dropping 1MDB-related probes, and also offered to spy on reporters investigating rumours of mismanagement and money-laundering within the fund.