COMMENT | Johari resurrects an enduring 1MDB mystery

COMMENT | When the head of the 1MDB task force Johari Abdul Ghani recently announced several moves to recover further money from 1MDB, he resurrected an enduring mystery.

Why did lawyers and negotiators do a lousy deal with Goldman Sachs when previous actions had the rogue investment bank on the ropes and a much higher settlement on the table?

The several moves would presumably include investigating whether there were other deals made which resulted in the settlement being compromised against Malaysia.

Johari said that lapses by the negotiators and lawyers to negotiate a fair and clear agreement may have compromised the government’s position in the ongoing dispute.

The July 2020 agreement was made when...