KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber said on Tuesday that six people were under investigation and two banks were suspected of involvement in Malaysia's scandal-plagued state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Lauber, who is on a trip to Malaysia this week, said in a statement that the six people included two former officials at 1MDB, two former officials from Abu Dhabi sovereign funds and two officials of the Petrosaudi group.
The statement was issued following his meeting with Malaysia's newly appointed Attorney General Tommy Thomas in Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital.
Lauber however noted that Malaysian former prime minister Najib Razak was not one of the public officials under the accusation.
The new Malaysian government led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has launched investigation into 1MDB following the electoral victory in May, saying that it would seek cooperation from foreign authorities on the probe and to repatriate misappropriated funds.
Najib was charged with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in connection to the 1MDB probe last week. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.
1MDB was set up by Najib in 2009 to spur Malaysia's economic development. But report emerged later that billions of U.S. dollars were misappropriated.
The two Swiss banks suspected of being involved in 1MDB are BSI SA and Falcon Private Bank SA.
The Swiss attorney general is investigating the use of financing obtained by 1MDB and its former subsidiary SRC International (SRC).
According to the statement, the main emphasis in the discussions Tuesday was to affirm a mutual commitment to the rule of law and the resumption of mutual legal assistance between the two countries.
It also stated that following the latest developments in Malaysia, the Swiss officer was interested in renewing dialogue with authorities in Malaysia in order to establish the most efficient form of cooperation.
