Former Malaysian PM to face additional corruption charges

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will face additional charges related to mismanagement of government funds when he was in office, the country's anti-corruption body said on Wednesday.

Najib was questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Wednesday and was expected to face additional charges along with two of his former senior aides.

In a statement, the MACC said it had received permission to charge Najib, who was also the Finance Minister when in office, and former Treasury Secretary-General Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, Xinhua news agency reported.

The two were summoned to the MACC headquarters to complete the final processes of investigation and charges and will be facing charges over breach of trust involving funds belonging to the Malaysian government, the commission added.

Najib is already facing 32 charges including money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust related to the investigation into state investment company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), where hundreds of millions of dollars were allegedly went missing.

It was unknown how many further charges will be added when he is to be summoned to a Kuala Lumpur court on Thursday.

Separately, the MACC said the former Malaysian External Intelligence Organization (MEIO) Director-General Hasanah Ab Hamid, another former senior aide to Najib, will be charged on Thursday for breach of trust involving Malaysian government money.

MEIO was an intelligence unit under the Prime Minister's Department during the Najib administration and Hasanah was reported to have misappropriated millions of funds.

She was also involved in controversies for writing a letter to the US' Central Intelligence Agency before the general election in May to seek its for Najib.

--IANS

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