Sarawak Report: RM3.4m cash deposited into PM’s accounts in early 2015

In a new allegation, Sarawak Report claims that cash deposits totalling RM3.4 million were made into two Ambank accounts purportedly belonging to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in February and March 2015.

The accounts, it said, citing leaks by investigators, were managed by SRC International Sdn Bhd former managing director Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil.

Nik Faisal was the signatory for the accounts, Sarawak Report alleged in an email.

This comes as the Swiss Attorney General's Office said it is investigating misappropriation of US$800 million involving the state-owned SRC International, which is a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Sarawak Report, whose London-based editor Claire Rewcastle-Brown is accused of being part of a conspiracy to topple Najib from power, claimed that based on the prime minister's bank statements, the large deposits were likely made in cash.

An unnamed banker consulted by Sarawak Report believes the cash was likely brought into the bank in bags and deposited directly, leaving no paper trail of the origin.

The largest single deposit was RM1.5 million, it said.

Sarawak Report also published copies of the bank statements, but Malaysiakini is unable to independently verify their authenticity or reproduce them as it would breach banking laws.

Malaysiakini has contacted the Prime Minister's Office and Ambank to respond to this matter. Najib's aide Tengku Sharifuddin Tengku has also been contacted for comment.

Previously, it was reported that the SRC's transaction to the prime minister's accounts could total RM74 million.

Nik Faisal was the investment manager for 1MDB, before joining SRC International. He was also investment manager at UBG, a financial company linked to Jho Low.

According to a flow chart held up by attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali at a press conference in January, UBG owned firms which channelled SRC International funds into Najib's Ambank accounts.