Muhyiddin said that he was certain their investigation in search of the truth will be detailed, transparent and independent. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin jumped into action today, calling on four key federal agencies investigating financial improprieties in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to immediately look into a controversial US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) money trail purporting to end in the prime minister’s personal bank accounts.

In a statement, the country’s second most powerful man said he was very concerned by the serious allegation made by Wall Street Journal (WSJ) against his boss Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.

“This allegation is very heavy as it affects the credibility and integrity of Dato' Seri Najib as the Prime Minister and the Head of Government. This issue has also drawn the attention of the public as well as international media and certainly is of public interest.

“As such I am of the view that the investigating authorities like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia, the Royal Malaysian Police with the cooperation of the Attorney-General’s Chambers must immediately investigate all allegations against Dato' Seri Najib,” Muhyiddin said.

He added that he was certain their investigation in search of the truth will be detailed, transparent and independent.

Muhyiddin also said the WSJ allegation was personally directed at Najib, and added that it was incumbent on the prime minister to explain his position.

However, he took note of Najib’s immediate remarks last night denying the allegation.

“If he is convinced the allegations are not true and defamatory, it is proper for him to take legal action on those who have made the allegations to clear his name and return the government’s credibility,” he said.

Muhyiddin urged for calm pending the investigations, and said: “I am certain the truth will emerge in the outcome of the authorities’ investigations”.

In an explosive report yesterday, WSJ said 1MDB investigators have discovered five separate deposits from two sources that were made into Najib’s accounts, citing from documents that it claimed to have viewed.

The largest two transactions, it said, were for US$621 million (RM2.3 billion) and US$61 million allegedly made in March 2013, shortly before the tumultuous Election 2013 in May.

A further transfer of RM42 million, purportedly made into Najib’s account at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, is believed to have come from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB that was in 2012 parked under the Finance Ministry that Najib heads, WSJ said.

“The money moved through another company owned by SRC International and then to a company that works exclusively for 1MDB, and finally to Mr Najib’s personal accounts in three separate deposits, the government documents show,” WSJ said in its report.

According to WSJ, however, investigators said that one of the companies that the RM42 million passed through was Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd, a firm that provides corporate social responsibility programs for 1MDB’s charity foundation.

In a Facebook post last night, Najib denied taking public money for personal gain.

His political secretary was today reported saying that the prime minister will take legal action against WSJ for its “malicious and unsubstantiated” article.