PETALING JAYA: The RM2.6bil donation allegedly received by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has nothing to do with the government of Saudi Arabia, says Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

According to Bernama, the Foreign Minister said this after he was informed over the matter by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir during the latter's visit to Wisma Putra in Putrajaya on Friday (Oct 26).

Touching on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and the RM2.6bil issue, Saifuddin said Adel ensured that the Saudi government would cooperate in the investigations regarding the two cases.

Saifuddin said Adel had earlier expressed the Saudi government's stand when they met at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York last month.

"He (Adel) stated that the donation had nothing to do with the Saudi government. Today, he reiterated it," Saifuddin said.

This differed in a statement Adel made in 2016 that the funds wired into Najib’s personal bank account were a “genuine” donation originating from Saudi Arabia.

In September, Najib was arrested in connection with the deposit of RM2.6bil of 1MDB funds into his personal account.

He was also summoned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Wednesday (Oct 24) over 1MDB's dealings with Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

Last week saw the former prime minister being called in twice to explain the payment of more than US$1.2bil (RM5.04bil) made to IPIC by 1MDB in a settlement over a US$6.5bil claim made by the former.

It is understood that Najib, who was chairman of 1MDB board of advisers, would be held liable for his role in the debt settlement.

Najib is already facing 32 charges ranging from corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

On Thursday (Oct 25), Najib and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah pleaded not guilty to six charges of criminal breach of trust involving RM6.6bil.