Police denies house 'raid' linked to ex-PM Najib

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Police will analyze security footage from a deluxe apartment block in Kuala Lumpur, part of an investigation into allegations a government vehicle delivered boxes there for the wife of Malaysia's ousted prime minister Najib Razak, the city's police chief, Mazlan Lazim, said.

Mazlan said Reuters had earlier mischaracterized the police operation at the Pavilion Residences building as a raid. "You cannot call it a raid," he said.

Mazlan said police were acting after a complaint, based on video footage, that a van with a logo from the department of the prime minister and cabinet had delivered boxes carrying designer handbags to the apartment for Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor.

Mazlan said police went to the Pavilion Residences to "see the CCTVs".

"We have to analyze the cameras, that's for the forensic team," he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad /VCG Photo

Two senior police officers involved in the operation, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters on Saturday that investigators were not primarily interested in any possible luxury items but were chasing documents that could be vital for investigations into Najib's administration.

Mazlan said the complainants did not see any handbags.

"They only saw the boxes," he said.

"Maybe they used the boxes (to) bring things to other places because they have been removed from the government," he said, adding: "We will investigate all aspects."

The Najib side has not commented on the development.

Orange boxes

File photo of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor /Reuters Photo

The police earlier received a complaint lodged by two leaders of the youth wing of Mahathir's political party, Bersatu.

It alleged vans emblazoned with the logo of the department of the prime minister and cabinet delivered boxes for 50 Birkin handbags to Pavilion Residences on Thursday evening.

Two photos provided with the report showed a van with the department's logo and a shopping trolley filled with orange boxes.

The Birkin handbags concerned would cost 200,000 US dollars each, the complaint said.

The police only confirmed "family members" of Najib had stayed in the apartment complex.

Announced overseas trip

Public gather outside an airport in Kuala Lumpur after reports say former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife will leave the country, May 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

Najib said earlier on Saturday that he was going abroad for a week to rest, but just minutes later the Department of Immigration announced that he and his wife had been barred from leaving the country.

Mahathir, who was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday, has vowed to probe the loss of billions of dollars from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was founded by Najib.

US Department of Justice documents allege that 681 million US dollars from 1MDB was transferred to the personal account of a person identified as Malaysian Official One, which US and Malaysian sources have confirmed was Najib.

Najib has said the deposit was a donation by an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family which had been largely returned.

Source(s): Reuters