KUALA LUMPUR: The Singapore Police have dealt promptly with all requests from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) with regards to the investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) linked to Datuk Dr Tawfiq Ayman.

       "For the investigations into Tawfiq, PDRM made the request to travel to Singapore to conduct further investigations on Dec 2 last year and the Singapore Police's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) responded on Dec 6 to agree to the request," said the the Singapore Police in a statement.

       It added in the statement on Sunday (March 13) that multiple dates for the visit by PDRM personnel were proposed, along with arrangements to comply with the Covid-19 border measures.

       This comes after the Singapore police responded to media reports that stated that the PDRM was waiting for Singapore’s permission and assistance to conduct further investigations into 1MDB and Tawfiq, the husband of former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

       "In the last correspondence on Jan 10, CAD proposed for the visit to then be conducted between Feb 8 and 9 and the PDRM responded on March 8 to request to enter Singapore in mid-to-late March," it said.

       The Singapore Police added that they had facilitated Malaysia’s 1MDB-related investigations in other ways since 2015, including arranging for the repatriation of about S$88mil (RM274mil) of seized 1MDB-related monies to the Malaysian government.

       "We will continue to facilitate requests for assistance in accordance with Singapore’s legal framework," it said.

       It was reported that the police investigation on Dr Tawfiq and his alleged link to the 1MDB scandal were ongoing.

       Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the police were in the process of identifying several documents and witnesses who were abroad to assist in the investigation into the case involving Dr Tawfiq.

       MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said his agency’s task in the matter was to repatriate funds from Singapore, while the police were conducting the probe into Tawfiq.

       In March last year, it was reported that Tawfiq was investigated by the police after 1MDB-linked funds were said to have been transferred to his Singapore-based bank account.

       The case was being probed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Prevention of Financing of Terrorism and Proceeds From Illegal Activities Act 2001.

       In November, the MACC revealed that Singapore had repatriated US$15.4mil in 1MDB-linked funds that involved Tawfiq’s company to Malaysia.