KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has appointed Titiwangsa member of Parliament Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani to lead a task force to resolve issues related to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.
According to a Bloomberg report, Anwar told parliament on Thursday that he agreed with the criticism Johari had raised on Malaysia's settlement deal with Goldman Sachs on 1MDB.
"I myself disagree with the past decisions, which were too light when the understanding was made. Goldman Sachs profited off our hardship and pain," said Anwar in Dewan Rakyat.
Last month, Johari, who is the former second finance minister, urged the government to launch a probe against those involved in the settlement with Goldman Sachs over the investment bank's role in the 1MDB scandal.
Johari questioned why the government administration at the time had settled for only US$2.5 billion (RM10.7 billion) from Goldman Sachs when the latter had managed to raise bonds amounting to US$6.5 billion (RM27.6 billion) in 2012 and 2013.
He also questioned the role of the lawyers who represented 1MDB and why they had settled for less.
"By right, they should act in the best interest of 1MDB and not Goldman Sachs, which is a clear cut case of cheating us."
In 2020, the government led by former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, reached a settlement with Goldman Sachs which involved the investment bank paying the government US$2.5 billion in cash and guaranteeing the return of US$1.4 billion in 1MDB assets seized by authorities around the world.
Johari had previously accused Goldman Sachs of taking advantage of inadequate negotiations by Muhyiddin's administration to delay the repayment of US$1.4 billion to Putrajaya.