Police on Saturday raided a deluxe Kuala Lumpur apartment block at which relatives of ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak had been staying as they searched for sensitive documents the new government fears may be taken out of the country, two senior police officers said.
The swoop came as Malaysia's new Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, said he had stopped his predecessor from leaving the country because of suspected wrongdoing in connection with a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.
Police said they were acting after a complaint that a government vehicle had delivered dozens of boxes made to carry designer handbags and other items to the apartment for Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Public disgust over alleged corruption was widely seen as one of the reasons behind the unexpected defeat of Najib's long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in Wednesday's general election.
Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
A spokesman for Najib could not be immediately reached for comment. Reuters was unable to reach Najib himself, his wife, or other family members and close associates on Saturday night.
Reuters saw about 20 police officers enter the marble-floored lobby of the Pavilion Residences apartment block in the Malaysian capital, just as Mahathir was holding a news conference to announce key members of his cabinet.
They were aided by at least a dozen other plainclothes law-enforcement officers. Security personnel from the building - which is owned by Desmond Lim, a wealthy Malaysian businessman and supporter of Najib - were cooperative.
"We are looking for government documents that may have been illegally taken," said a senior police officer, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
"The government are worried they could be sensitive and important, and could be taken out of the country."
He declined to say whether any documents had been found and described the operation as "ongoing".
According to the police, members of Najib's family had been staying at the apartments, but they declined to name them.
ORANGE BOXES
The police action followed a complaint lodged by two leaders of the youth wing of Mahathir's political party, Bersatu.
The police report of the complaint, reviewed by Reuters, alleges that vans emblazoned with the logo of the department of the prime minister and cabinet delivered boxes for 50 Birkin handbags to Pavilion Residences on Thursday evening.
The report alleged that the boxes showed the name of the consignee as Rosmah Mansor.
Two photos provided with the report and reviewed by Reuters showed a van with the department's logo and a shopping trolley filled with orange boxes. The location, the date and the contents of the boxes - including whether there were any of the handbags inside - could not be ascertained from the photos.
The Birkin handbags concerned would cost $200,000 each, the complaint said.
The senior police officer only confirmed "family members" of Najib had stayed in the apartment complex when Reuters asked if Rosmah had stayed there.
Another officer involved in the operation described the persons of interest as "VVIPs", or very, very important persons.
Both police officers said investigators were not primarily interested in the luxury items but were chasing documents that could be vital for investigations into Najib's administration.
ANNOUNCED OVERSEAS TRIP
Kuala Lumpur's police chief and an official police spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.
Najib said earlier on Saturday that he was going abroad for a week to rest, but just minutes later the Department of Immigration announced that he and his wife had been barred from leaving the country.
Mahathir, who was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday, has vowed to probe the loss of billions of dollars from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was founded by Najib.
U.S. Department of Justice documents allege that $681 million from 1MDB was transferred to the personal account of a person identified as Malaysian Official One, which U.S. and Malaysian sources have confirmed was Najib.
Najib has said the deposit was a donation by an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family which had been largely returned.
Reuters
Sat May 12 2018
Pavilion Residences is a luxury condominium situated on top of the Pavilion Mall in Kuala Lumpur. - www.pavilion-residences.com
Beras ditemui di tapak pelupusan sampah tidak selamat dimakan - KPKM
Beras yang didakwa dibuang di tapak pelupusan sampah di Temerloh, Pahang didapati telah rosak dan tidak sesuai serta tidak selamat untuk dimakan.
Boeing hasrat tawarkan kereta terbang di Asia menjelang 2030
Kereta terbang ini dijangka menawarkan penyelesaian untuk pelbagai bandar di Asia yang sering sesak dengan kenderaan.
Piala Thomas: Tze Yong digugurkan, Hon Jian isi kekosongan - Rexy
Ng Tze Yong disahkan tidak akan beraksi pada Piala Thomas 2024 dan kekosongan ditinggalkan naib juara Terbuka Artik 2023 itu akan digantikan dengan pemain beregu, Choong Hon Jian.
Isu surat layang: Mangsa ugutan, gangguan seksual diminta lapor polis
Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri (JKN) Perak meminta mangsa yang mendakwa menerima ugutan serta gangguan seksual yang dikaitkan dengan isu surat layang tular membabitkan kakitangan perubatan Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) supaya membuat laporan polis.
Bekalan Darah: Kadar penderma darah dalam negara masih rendah
Menurut Timbalan Pengarah I, Pusat Darah Negara, Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM), Dr Tun Maizura Mohd Fathullah, kadar tersebut perlu ditingkatkan bagi memastikan bekalan darah mencukupi terutamanya pada waktu-waktu terdesak.
KBS umum syarat pelepasan cukai latihan sukan
Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) mengumumkan syarat-syarat pelepasan cukai bagi latihan sukan pada Jumaat.
Kastam tumpaskan sindiket penyeludupan, temukan dadah bawah pokok
Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia Pulau Pinang menumpaskan cubaan penyeludupan dadah apabila merampas dadah jenis methaphetamine seberat 30 kilogram bernilai hampir RM1 juta.
Pengawal keselamatan didakwa bunuh anak kandung berusia enam bulan
Seorang bapa yang tergamak mendera anak kandungnya yang berusia enam bulan sehingga mengakibatkan mangsa mati didakwa di Mahkamah Bandar Baru Bangi, pada Jumaat kerana kesalahan membunuh.
Perang Iran-Israel, kesan kepada geopolitik Asia Barat
Penyelidik Kanan IRIS Institute, Asyraf Farique memberikan analisis semasa mengenai perang Iran dan Israel serta kesannya kepada geopolitik di Asia Barat.
Batik Air gantung operasi ke Istanbul bermula 1 Mei
Syarikat penerbangan itu berkata keputusan itu dibuat sebagai respons terhadap situasi di Timur Tengah yang memberi kesan kepada laluan penerbangan Batik Air.
Mahkamah tolak permohonan 1MDB untuk pindah kes saman AS$6.5 bilion
Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman turut mengarahkan 1MDB membayar kos RM4,000 masing-masing kepada Arul Kanda dan Mohd Irwan.
Mahkamah Rayuan tetapkan 20 Ogos untuk dengar rayuan Najib gugurkan hakim
Tarikh itu ditetapkan hari ini susulan pengurusan kes di hadapan penolong kanan pendaftar Mahkamah Rayuan Nurul Azrina Mohamed Yusof.
Disekat dari ke luar negara, tetapi tidak ditahan - Bekas Pengarah SRC
Shahrol memberitahu beliau tidak ditahan pihak berkuasa berkaitan urus niaga syarikat itu, namun disekat daripada ke luar negara.
Tiada perjanjian dengan pendakwaan untuk beri keterangan terhadap Najib - Jasmine Loo
Bekas peguam 1MDB sekali lagi menegaskan bahawa beliau tidak membuat sebarang perjanjian dengan pihak pendakwaan untuk memberi keterangan terhadap Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Perbicaraan kes 1MDB terpaksa ditangguh selepas Najib disahkan alami cirit-birit
Dr Mohd Hafiz berkata ubat-ubatan yang diberikan mungkin menyebabkan rasa mengantuk dan Najib perlu berehat sekurang-kurangnya dua hari.
Pengurusan 1MDB sepatutnya lakukan usaha wajar mengenai PSI - Saksi
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu bahawa pengurusan 1MDB sepatutnya telah melakukan usaha wajar mengenai kewujudan PSI sebelum dana 1MDB disalurkan kepada PSI untuk tujuan usaha sama.
Kerajaan sudah bayar RM48.06 bilion hutang 1MDB
Menteri Kewangan II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan memberitahu, jumlah itu termasuk bayaran AS$3 bilion (RM14.2 bilion) yang dibuat pada Mac 2023 menerusi Belanjawan 2023.
Dana SRC AS$15 juta dipindah kepada beberapa individu termasuk anak bekas PM Mongolia
Menurut pakar penyiasatan kewangan itu penyelidikannya mendedahkan selain Battushig, Dash Uranbileg iaitu tokoh politik di Mongolia menerima AS$2 juta daripada Muraset.
AG peroleh kebenaran mulakan prosiding komital terhadap Isham Jalil
Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini membenarkan permohonan Peguam Negara (AG) untuk memulakan prosiding komital terhadap Isham Jalil.
Perjanjian berkaitan pemulihan aset 1MDB tidak terperinci - Johari
Perjanjian antara kerajaan Malaysia dan Goldman Sachs berkaitan pemulihan aset 1MDB pada 2020, dibuat dengan tidak terperinci.