Ex-Malaysian PM pleads not guilty in corruption scandal

By Adem Salvarcioglu

ANKARA (AA) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has pleaded not guilty over a multi-million dollar corruption scandal, local media reported on Wednesday.

Razak, 64, was arrested on Tuesday over a corruption scandal concerning the Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“I am confident in my innocence, I believe in my innocence. This is the best chance for me to clear my name after the numerous accusations and slander leveled against me,” he said after leaving a courthouse in the capital Kuala Lumpur, according to Singapore-based Channel News Asia.

On Tuesday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that Razak was arrested at a private residence in Kuala Lumpur by anti-corruption officers.

He was released on bail Wednesday after surrendering his two passports. Charges against Razak carry 20 years of prison sentence.

1MDB, spearheaded by Razak, has been the subject of a global money-laundering probe.

The scandal has triggered probes and investigations in multiple locations around the globe, including the U.S. and Switzerland.

Singapore's investigations, which began in 2015, have resulted in the seizure of bank accounts.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore ordered Falcon Private Bank to cease operations in Singapore last October.

The next hearing is set for Feb. 18 in 2019.