As he prepares to leave the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in about two weeks, Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that assets linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal are returned to the Malaysian public.
Azam said recent developments at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which granted a transaction prohibition order involving US$1.7 million (about RM6.7 million) held in two bank accounts in Barbados, reflect ongoing efforts to trace and recover misappropriated funds connected to 1MDB.
The MACC chief stressed that asset recovery remains a key responsibility of the commission, particularly as the funds involved rightfully belong to the people of Malaysia.
He described the court order as proof of MACC’s continued commitment to tracking and repatriating stolen assets, especially those linked to international financial channels and offshore accounts.
Azam also highlighted that in today’s challenging global economic climate, including uncertainties arising from geopolitical tensions, efforts to recover stolen funds are not merely enforcement actions but a national duty to safeguard public finances.
He added that every ringgit successfully recovered represents public money that must be returned to the country.
MACC, he said, will continue strengthening international cooperation and utilising all available legal mechanisms to locate, freeze, and seize assets believed to be hidden abroad.
The latest court order involves funds suspected to be part of misappropriated 1MDB assets held in accounts at a Barbados-based financial institution, following investigations under Malaysia’s anti-money laundering laws.
Authorities had earlier found that between 2014 and 2019, several individuals and companies were allegedly involved in receiving, concealing, and transferring illicit funds through offshore accounts.
Azam is set to conclude his tenure at MACC on May 12 after more than three decades of service. He will be succeeded by former judge Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman as the new Chief Commissioner on May 13.
