1MDB tells Dr M they have ‘legitimate’ business operations

(MMO) – 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) today urged Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to stop claiming that the company’s foundation was using “stolen” money to fund pilgrims performing Haj prayers.

Since 1MDB’s establishment, it said, the foundation has sponsored around RM690 million to deliver more than 60 projects related to education, healthcare, youth development and community services.

These projects, it said, have had an impact on the lives of some 2.8 million Malaysians.

“Tun [Dr] Mahathir wrongly claims that the Yayasan 1MDB Haj sponsorship was funded through ‘stolen’ money. 1MDB strongly denies this baseless and unsubstantiated allegation,” it said.

“On the contrary, 1MDB has legitimate business operations, formerly in energy production and more recently, in real estate development. Funds generated from these business operations are contributed to Yayasan 1MDB, which then uses such funds to sponsor the Program Khas Haji,” the state investment fund added.

The former prime minister had recently claimed that Haj performed through the 1MDB Foundation sponsorship would not be “haji mabrur”, or divinely accepted Haj.

He has since come under attack from muftis, who among others, told him not to play God by determining which Muslims deserved to have their prayers accepted.