PUTRAJAYA - Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak left the anti-corruption agency headquarters at 4.45pm on Thursday (May 24), after spending over six hours there being questioned for the second time this week.
He was helping with investigations into SRC International, a former subsidiary of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and alleged suspicious transfers of the company's funds.
Datuk Seri Najib is accused of receiving RM42 million (S$14.2 million) into his personal accounts that allegedly originated from SRC.
Mr Najib emerged from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at 4.45pm, and said the questioning had concluded.
"I have given my statement to the best of my abilities," he told reporters. He said his session started at 10am and ended at 4.30pm, with forty minutes for him to rest and pray.
"It was done professionally," added Mr Najib. "They (MACC) said the questioning was completed." He declined to answer further questions.
He was questioned for more than four hours on Tuesday on the SRC issue.
1MDB whistle-blower Xavier Andre Justo, a former director at Petrosaudi International, was spotted at the MACC at 9am, an hour before Mr Najib was due to arrive.
The Swiss national, who has met Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad twice in recent days, is a key figure in the 1MDB saga.
He is believed to have shared information on 1MDB with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, whose site claimed in 2015 that nearly US$700 million (S$941 million) was funnelled into Mr Najib's bank account.
Mr Najib's lawyer, former solicitor-general Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, arrived around 9.30am.
Mr Najib's second trip to the MACC follows fresh revelations that cash seized from apartments linked to him totalled RM120 million (S$40 million).
Following the May 9 election that swept Tun Dr Mahathir's opposition coalition into power, official investigations were opened into how billions of dollars disappeared from 1MDB and whether Mr Najib abused his power as prime minister and finance minister.
Mr Najib has denied all allegations.
Representatives from pressure group Jaringan Melayu Malaysia turned up at the MACC in the afternoon to call for the agency to re-investigate past allegations of abuse of power against Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The group is seen as pro-Barisan Nasional, the coalition formerly led by Mr Najib that was defeated in the recent election.
Lokman Noor Adam, former director of communications at the finance ministry, told reporters as the group exited the building that 13 reports had been made against Dr Mahathir during his first stint as premier from 1981 to 2003, including by his foes-turned-allies Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. These relate to cases such as the financial scandal at Perwaja Steel, forex losses at the central bank and the buyout of Malaysia Airlines.
"So if it's true that this government is a new government, or a government with the slogan of a new Malaysia, we urge that action be taken against Dr Mahathir," he said.
Datuk Lokman added that he had lodged a police report last night against the new anti-graft chief Mohd Shukri Abdull for failing to report an attempted bribe.
Datuk Seri Shukri had revealed in an emotional press conference on Tuesday that he was offered a bribe from an MP to halt the 1MDB probe.
Mr Lokman said on Thursday: "His statements on May 22 clearly carry elements of subjudice and prejudice against Mr Najib ... It seems that his appointment was done more out of revenge against Mr Najib."
