corruption

This week, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has signed three Bills, bring them into law. Bucking the global trend to try to incorporate multiple aspects of financial crime law into a single piece of legislation, the new Acts are the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022. But the word of the day is "irony."

Malaysia is being ever so nice to US headquartered bank Goldman Sachs which, through its Singapore Office, it is now known from the evidence given by one of its former staff, Tim Leissner, to have assisted in the theft and laundering of part of the now infamous 1MDB fund.

The bank, which is now seeking to take on new staff in the relevant department in Singapore, has been asked to give back the estimated USD600 million in fees it took for its assistance. Iit's at least arguable that Malaysia doesn't have to ask nicely: it could just take the money. GS doesn't want to pay out in every direction: it's already accepted the probability of "significant fines" in the US as a result of an investigation there.

Here's a step-by-step guide to getting the money back without the bank's co-operation.

It's a story that isn't gripping Malaysia: in 2015, a helicopter crash resulted in the deaths of several prominent members of the government of then Prime Minister Najib that Najib's office said was carrying guests from a wedding reception for Najib's daughter. Now, in an action before the Shariah High Court in Kuala Lumpur, there's a dispute over the very substantial estate of one of the politicians. So far, in a country obsessed with 1MBD, no one is asking loudly how such wealth was accumulated by one man in a life in public service.

While there is global fascination with the case against Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak, who has been charged with offences that, at present, do not include money laundering, the world is seeing an unprecedented range of cases brought against politicians and those close to them. Has the tide turned and are politicians, previously considered largely untouchable, now legitimate targets?

As the euphoria of the overturning of a much disliked government wanes, there are several important matters to deal with.

Perhaps the most difficult will be the question of corruption which has been endemic and systemic for many years.

Strangely, the one person who might be credited with kick-starting the widespread rejection of corruption might be the one person who is first amongst those whose conduct will be open to question.

As China continues is increasingly effective "Operation Fox Hunt" against corrupt officials who have left China with their spoils, or sent their money abroad in the hope of hiding it, there is growing co-operation between Chinese authorities and those in the countries where people and/or assets are located. Australia is one country that has been helping. But a thorny old question remains.