Najib, who launched a crackdown last year to contain the spiralling scandal, has so far not commented on the identity of the unnamed official. "It's obvious that the so-called 'Malaysian Official 1' referred to by the US Justice Department is our Prime Minister," he said in a subsequent clarifying statement. Last weekend, several hundred protesters demonstrated, demanding that "Malaysian Official 1" be identified and arrested. In its scathing lawsuit, the US Justice Department detailed how "Malaysian Official 1", family members, and close associates diverted billions from the now-stricken fund. "The Prime Minister .... (must) purge and cleanse Malaysia’s reputation as a global kleptocracy," he said in a statement.

Source: Bangkok Post September 02, 2016 03:45 UTC