News Analysis: Malaysian PM to Tackle Economic Challenges Following “Case Close” on Donation Probe

China.org.cn (off Xinhua)

28 January 2016

The announcement to end investigation on political donations to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is likely to help him focus on the economic challenges facing his country.

Under Malaysia’s legal system, the decision by Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali to end the investigations would be seen by the government as an end to the controversies, said Oh Ei Sun, a political analyst and former political secretary to Najib.

Apandi cleared Najib of any wrongdoing on Tuesday, saying the evidence submitted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission suggested that the prime minister had committed no criminal offenses in the case of some 681 million U.S. dollars transferred into the his personal accounts.

The donation was given by the Saudi royal family “without any consideration,” he said.

No wrongdoing was found in the cases related to SRC International, a former subsidiary of the debt-laden state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Najib chairs 1MDB’s advisory board.

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