PUTRAJAYA, May 6 — As of last year, Malaysia has recovered RM31.3 billion, or 74.5 per cent, of the RM42 billion misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds, said Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Speaking at a press conference here today, he said the achievement is among the highest asset recovery rates globally for large-scale financial crime cases.
He noted that the amount recovered exceeded earlier estimates of 70 per cent, or RM30 billion, cited in previous reports.
Azam said the progress reflects the government’s strong commitment to reclaiming assets linked to the 1MDB scandal, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s directive to ensure misappropriated funds are traced and returned to the country.
“To date, based on available data, the total funds misappropriated from 1MDB amount to RM42 billion.
“The total value of assets recovered as of 2025 stands at RM31,301,717,268.56, equivalent to 74.5 per cent of the overall amount misappropriated,” he said.
Azam said 1MDB asset recovery efforts began in 2019, with RM1.155 billion retrieved that year, followed by RM14.257 billion in 2020 and RM5.117 billion in 2021.
“Subsequently, RM400.38 million was recovered in 2022, RM8.088 billion in 2023, RM715.95 million in 2024, and RM1.566 billion in 2025,” he said.
The MACC chief stressed that the recovery process involved extensive international cooperation and legal action with multiple parties, including the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Justice Department.
He said efforts were made through mechanisms such as mutual legal aid, financial intelligence sharing, bilateral engagements, and cross-border asset forfeiture, involving the US, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, among others.
“Among key recoveries were proceeds from the sale of luxury yacht Equanimity amounting to about RM543 million, as well as the return of a private jet and overseas properties,” he noted.
Azam said Malaysia also secured global settlements with international financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs Group, International Petroleum Investment Company, and Aabar Investments PJS, along with audit firms Deloitte and KPMG, collectively contributing billions of ringgit to the country.
The MACC, he said, is also working to recover proceeds from the sale of Claude Monet’s Vétheuil au Soleil, which was sold in Switzerland for about €25.2 million (around RM114 million).
“The funds are currently subject to seizure proceedings by US authorities, and efforts to recover them are ongoing through legal channels and cooperation with authorities in the US and Switzerland,” he said.
He stressed that the MACC remains committed to tracing and recovering all misappropriated assets, regardless of location or time frame.
“God willing, these assets can be returned to the country soon, possibly by 2027. This effort is not only about recovering national assets, but also restoring public trust in our institutions.
“No one will escape legal action, and every sen belonging to the people will be returned,” Azam added.
