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Malaysia’s Ex-Prime Minister Says He Wants His Money Back

Money and valuables seized in police raids should be returned as no charges have been filed, Najib Razak said in a Facebook post.

Malaysia’s Ex-Prime Minister Says He Wants His Money Back
Najib Razak, Malaysia’s former prime minister, center, leaves the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s former Prime Minister would like his money back.

Money and valuables seized in police raids should be returned as no charges have been filed, Najib Razak said in a Facebook post over the weekend. He said most of the confiscated cash, which police said amounted to about $29 million, belongs to the former ruling party the United Malays National Organisation and was collected for political operations and related electoral expenses.

Malaysia’s Ex-Prime Minister Says He Wants His Money Back

Along with the cash, police also took diamonds, brand-name handbags and watches from several apartments linked to Najib and his family. The raids in May followed the shock election result that ended the party’s near six-decade dominance of government.

Najib, who has been banned from overseas travel, now faces a probe into alleged embezzlement and money laundering carried out during his tenure as prime minister.

"I’ll also explain more about the impounded jewelry and handbags that have become a public conversation topic," Najib said in the post.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kyunghee Park in Singapore at kpark3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sebastian Tong at stong41@bloomberg.net, Niluksi Koswanage

©2018 Bloomberg L.P.