SEIZED ARTWORKS
Set up in 2009 by former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to promote economic development, the 1MDB scandal contributed to the ouster of Malaysia’s long-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government in 2018 and implicated several global financial institutions including Swiss bank BSI and Goldman Sachs.
The four paintings, currently in transit on their way to Putrajaya, are valued at nearly US$140,000 combined, Azam said – making them “among the (most) valuable art assets successfully recovered so far”.
They include a 1961 circus-themed painting by Pablo Picasso titled “L’Ecuyère et les clowns” (The Horsewoman and the Clowns) – believed to be worth between US$5,000 to US$7,000.
MACC also plans to utilise the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanism to recover the remaining artworks still under Christie’s custody – a provision that facilitates international cooperation in gathering evidence, seizing assets and taking witness statements for criminal cases.
The artworks are expected to be displayed to the public as a symbol of the country’s enforcement success before further action is taken – which will also include potential auctions to return proceeds to the government, the Malay Mail reported.
MACC is expected to hand over the paintings to the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, the Malay Mail said.
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