The government is considering many options beyond negotiations with the Wall Street firm, Anwar told CNBC’s Martin Soong. So far, the bank “hasn’t been very receptive,” he said.
“So, of course, there are ongoing discussions on this topic, other paths should be chosen. And I do not rule out the possibility of reconsidering the issue of lawsuits,” Anwar said in an interview, excerpts of which were broadcast on Monday.
Still, Anwar said the case was complex and a lawsuit in the US would cost the government a fortune. “But if you rob people, I’ll have to get it back,” he added.
The State Development Fund 1MDB became the center of a multi-billion scandal that led to investigations in Asia, the US and Europe. In 2020, Goldman Sachs pleaded guilty to its role in the largest foreign bribery case in U.S. law enforcement history, reaching multiple international settlements totaling billions of dollars to end investigations into its fundraising for 1MDB.
In January, Anwar demanded that the US bank honor its 2020 agreement with the previous Malaysian government over its work in raising $6.5 billion for 1MDB in 2012 and 2013. He later said the deal his predecessors reached with Goldman Sachs was “too light” and was reassessing the issue.
The settlement announced three years ago by the previous administration ordered Goldman Sachs to pay $2.5 billion while guaranteeing the return of $1.4 billion in 1MDB assets seized by authorities around the world in exchange for Malaysia dropping charges against the bank.
Goldman must also make a one-time interim payment of $250 million if Malaysia does not receive at least $500 million in assets and proceeds by August 2022, according to the bank. But they disagreed on whether the government had received $500 million in proceeds by the August deadline, as Goldman Sachs said in a filing last year.
“Why do I have to punish the people of Malaysia with huge profits?” – Anwar said in an interview with CNBC, referring to Goldman Sachs.
