KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman's Anti-Money Laundering Crime Investigation (AMLA) team has frozen RM4.3 billion and seized RM1 billion in a series of investigations into alleged "corporate mafia" activities between late 2022 and September this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the team had also forfeited RM48.3 million and imposed compounds totalling RM1.1 billion in connection with the cases during the period.
However, Anwar did not specify whether the assets involved comprised property, cash, equity or deposits in accounts belonging to individuals under investigation.
He said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had also seized funds totalling RM37.53 billion in connection with related cases.
"Of this amount, RM28 billion relates to investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and its debts," he said during the Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar was responding to Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (PH-Port Dickson), who asked about the status of investigations into alleged "corporate mafia" activities involving breaches of the law, as well as enforcement actions taken to date.
Anwar said the problem of corporate crime had persisted for decades.
"This includes the takeover of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, stock market manipulation, breaches of corporate disclosure requirements and illegal moneylending activities involving intimidation.
"We have inherited a system that is certainly lacking in transparency. Those who have followed developments from the 1980s and 1990s until today would know how several major companies were affected.
"For instance, Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd (MPHB), which was a giant at the time, was forced to be sold. It was owned by Lim Tian Kiat and was sold to a group led by Akbar Khan and Chan Ching Tiung. All this was linked to the then finance minister, whose influence and financial resources were substantial."
Anwar also cited RHB Bank, saying it had been successfully managed by Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain before he was forced to relinquish his stake, which was also linked to the former finance minister.
Phileo Allied Bank, Anwar added, was another bank that had expanded rapidly at the time.
"Under the former finance minister's directive, all banks were compelled to consolidate, but subsequently let go because of the former minister's interests in Langkah Bahagia Sdn Bhd, which later took ownership.
"More recently, an issue that has been raised concerns Caely Holdings Bhd, dating back to February 2022, which subsequently changed its name to NextG Bina Bhd.
"I am not providing detailed evidence, but these experiences should teach us that the institutions entrusted with these responsibilities- Bank Negara Malaysia, the Securities Commission (SC), the MACC and the police- must operate transparently and be accountable."
On enforcement action, Anwar said agencies had stepped up their efforts since 2023, with action increasing twofold or threefold compared with previous years.
"Yes, as much as threefold," he said.
The SC, he added, had initiated 239 criminal charges against 50 individuals, compared with significantly lower figures in previous years.
"This also includes several cases that were being closed in May 2022. The SC withdrew all charges against Serba Dinamik (Holdings Bhd). Following continued disclosures about the matter, the SC began investigating transactions involving not only Serba Dinamik from 2023 onwards, but also related cases, including Sarawak Consolidated, which involves Datuk Karim (Datuk Mohd Abdul Karim Abdullah). Most recently, Interpol issued a Red Notice following a warrant for his arrest.
"This demonstrates an increase in the SC's enforcement actions, both criminal and civil."
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