Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says $681 million banked into the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bank accounts was a “genuine donation.”
Mr. Najib’s office said on Friday that the confirmation by Adel Al-Jubeir vindicates Mr. Najib against allegations that the money was siphoned from heavily indebted state investment fund 1MDB.
Mr. Al-Jubeir says Saudi authorities were aware of the donation, and that it was given without any strings attached. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry provided a video clip of Mr. Al-Jubeir’s comments, made on Thursday to Malaysian reporters in Istanbul after a meeting with Mr. Najib.
Mr. Najib has been battling allegations that the money was funnelled from 1MDB into his accounts. He was cleared in January by the attorney general, who said it was a donation from Saudi’s royal family and that Mr. Najib had returned most of it.
