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Singapore ordered to return Malaysia S$50 million 1MDB funds
Lee Hsien Loong and Najib Razak; Straits Times
The Singapore government has been ordered by the local courts to return S$50.3 million of the S$240 million 1MDB funds laundered in Singapore banks.
The Singapore police fronted the announcement today (Jul 19), saying they are returning the money they confiscated from the Singapore banks:
“The first tranche of court applications for the return of about S$15.3 million in 1MDB-related money was granted in Sep 2018 and the second tranche of about S$35 million was granted in Mar 2019. Part of the money have already been transferred to Malaysia, while the rest are still being processed by the banks.”
The Singapore government did not explain the delays or make transparent the closed-door court processes which led to the release of the additional S$35 million. Neither is the Singapore government held culpable for money laundering the Malaysian state funds, nor was there any explanation why the remaining S$190 million of S$240 million seized in 2016 were held back.
In 2016, the Singapore police claimed that they confiscated S$240 million in cash and properties from their investigations on 1MDB funds.
In the period 3 year period from June 2011 to Nov 2013, there were at least 30 recorded transactions of significant amount in millions making transfers between bank accounts – involving government-linked banks like DBS, UOB and Standard Chartered.

The Singapore government has been ordered by the local courts to return S$50.3 million of the S$240 million 1MDB funds laundered in Singapore banks.
The Singapore police fronted the announcement today (Jul 19), saying they are returning the money they confiscated from the Singapore banks:
“The first tranche of court applications for the return of about S$15.3 million in 1MDB-related money was granted in Sep 2018 and the second tranche of about S$35 million was granted in Mar 2019. Part of the money have already been transferred to Malaysia, while the rest are still being processed by the banks.”
The Singapore government did not explain the delays or make transparent the closed-door court processes which led to the release of the additional S$35 million. Neither is the Singapore government held culpable for money laundering the Malaysian state funds, nor was there any explanation why the remaining S$190 million of S$240 million seized in 2016 were held back.
In 2016, the Singapore police claimed that they confiscated S$240 million in cash and properties from their investigations on 1MDB funds.
In the period 3 year period from June 2011 to Nov 2013, there were at least 30 recorded transactions of significant amount in millions making transfers between bank accounts – involving government-linked banks like DBS, UOB and Standard Chartered.