Low Taek Jho (Jho Low)

"As hard as it is for some people to fathom, I was advised and honestly believed at the time that the funds I received were political donations from Saudi Arabia," says Najib.

In other news this week, companies accused of "climate-washing" are increasingly finding themselves the target of litigants.

Low also agreed to cooperate in the transfer to Malaysia of certain other assets located in Hong Kong, Switzerland and Singapore.

The information was confirmed by several individuals who had spotted the fugitive in Macau.

Ng had asked for leniency.

In a statement on Wednesday, the MP for Bagan said no expense or effort should be spared to bring to book Jho Low.

Prosecutors claim the money was a kickback that Ng received for allegedly conspiring with Tim Leissner and Jho Low.

Also in briefs: Hong Kong is stepping up efforts to root out Covid-19 cases, with plans to mass test the entire city

Three years after publishing Billion Dollar Whale in 2018, Wright and Hope are on to their next challenge: Project Brazen.

Switzerland is holding its first trial into whether a local banker failed to stop a US$700 million (S$997.4 million) transfer into an account controlled by Low Taek Jho, the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB scandal.