Probe Zeti, others implicated in latest 1MDB exposes, says Guan Eng

(FMT) – DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has called for a “full investigation” to be carried out against former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and other figures implicated in the latest revelations related to the 1MDB scandal.

This comes after former banker Tim Leissner told a US court that BNM approved an “overnight” foreign exchange transfer of US$1 billion from 1MDB to PetroSaudi International (PSI) after Zeti’s husband had allegedly been bribed to “make it happen”.

“I think we should let a full investigation be carried out, not just on Zeti but also on the other expose, including the use of 1MDB money to buy a US$10 million mansion in London to resolve an apparent personal affair with a Malaysian woman.

“That should be investigated along with other claims.

“It’s disgraceful behaviour for a foreigner to use our money to resolve his personal matter with a lady,” he said at a press conference today.

Zeti’s husband, Tawfiq Ayman, had denied the allegation by Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs executive testifying in the US corruption trial of Roger Ng, Goldman’s former head of investment banking in Malaysia.

Yesterday, in response to Leissner’s testimony, BNM said all investments abroad by resident entities are subject to the requirements under the Exchange Control Act 1953 that was in force prior to 2013.

The central bank said all submissions made by 1MDB, including the said application, were subject to the same approval criteria and internal governance process that apply to any submission by other entities to BNM.

There have been calls from both sides of the political divide for Zeti to be probed, especially after it was confirmed that RM65 million of 1MDB-linked funds were held by a company belonging to Tawfiq.

Meanwhile, Leissner had told the Brooklyn federal court in New York that he had bought the house for the the former local media CEO as she had threatened to expose his involvement in the 1MDB scandal.

He claimed the woman was very upset that he was ending their relationship to be with his future wife Kimora Lee Simmons, a former supermodel.