No time limit on ex-Goldman banker’s ‘stay’ in Malaysia, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no time limit for former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng to be held and investigated in Malaysia in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, says Tan Sri Razarudin Husain (pic).

The Inspector-General of Police said Ng, 51, was detained on Monday (Oct 9) following his arrival from the United States on Sunday (Oct 8).

“We are hoping he will give us the best cooperation pertaining to the investigation.

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“Our goal is to recover 1MDB assets and ensure justice is served.

“We will detain and investigate him (in Malaysia) until we are satisfied with his statements and cooperation, there is no time limit,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman on Tuesday (Oct 10).

Ng is being investigated under Section 409 of the Penal Code and Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA), he said.

“We will hand Ng over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Securities Commission (SC) once the police investigation is completed.

“Among 1MDB assets to be recovered include properties, vehicles and bank accounts,” he added.

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The IGP said he could not reveal where Ng was being held for security reasons.

“We have intelligence that shows his life would be in danger if his whereabouts are revealed.

“I cannot reveal where he is being held for his safety,” he said.

He added that so far there was no need to make Ng wear an Electronic Monitoring Device (EMD).

Razarudin said the police will also use details and information revealed during Ng’s court proceedings in the US, as long as it is pertinent to the police investigation.

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“We are aware of his court proceedings and we will use the information if it is relevant to our own investigation,” he said.

The country’s top cop hoped that information obtained from Ng will also reveal more leads on the hunt for fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.

“We have never given up in our efforts to track down and arrest Jho Low.

“Even if it takes beyond my tenure (as IGP), the police force will never give up in the efforts to detain and bring him back,” he said.

It was previously reported that Ng, facing 10 years in prison after being convicted in New York of helping loot billions of dollars from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, will be returned to Malaysia where he faces related charges.

ALSO READ: All eyes on banker’s return

Chief US district judge Margo Brodie in Brooklyn had ordered Ng’s surrender to the US Marshals Service by last Friday (Oct 6) so he could be turned over to Malaysian law enforcement, who would transport him to their country.

Ng would be required to begin his prison term upon returning to the United States, prosecutors said in an earlier letter to Brodie.

His lawyers agreed to the proposed schedule, the letter said.

Ng’s surrender date had been delayed from Sept 6, after US prosecutors said they needed more time to communicate with Kuala Lumpur about first letting him stand trial there.

On Sept 5, Singapore’s central bank banned Ng, also known as Ng Chong Hwa, for life, saying his “severe misconduct” made it “contrary to public interest to allow him to carry on business as a representative”.

Brodie sentenced Ng in March, 11 months after jurors found him guilty of helping former Goldman boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from 1MDB, launder the proceeds, and bribe government officials to win business.