Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the investigation was conducted under Section 217 of the Penal Code, which pertains to a public servant who contravenes the law with the intention of saving a person from punishment or preventing property from being seized.

“The investigation papers were completed and referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers on Oct 5, 2022, after which the case was classified as NFA,” Saifuddin said in a written parliamentary reply.

He was responding to a parliamentary question by Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis), who asked the government for details of the probe and what steps would be taken to ensure the investigation was conducted transparently and fairly.

Last month, lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo questioned the status of the 2022 investigation into Apandi over his handling of the 1MDB case.

In August 2022, police said they had questioned Apandi in connection with reports lodged against him alleging that he had abused his power while handling the case.

Apandi had cleared former prime minister Najib Razak of any wrongdoing regarding money found in the latter’s bank accounts while serving as attorney-general in Najib’s government.

Najib had maintained the money was a political donation from the Saudi royal family.

However, during cross-examination last week in a lawsuit brought by SRC International and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, Najib acknowledged that the RM42 million deposited into his personal accounts was not a Saudi donation based on “subsequent knowledge” he acquired, although he initially believed otherwise.

He also said he had expected the authorities to satisfy themselves as to the authenticity of the purported Saudi donation he received, after controversies emerged in 2015.