KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced this afternoon the arrest of Datuk Seri Najib Razak after taking him in for questioning at their headquarters in Putrajaya earlier.

The commission also confirmed that the former prime minister is being investigated over a controversial RM2.6 billion donation banked into his personal account, supposedly from a Saudi Arabian royal in 2014. 

"The arrest was made at 4.13pm today at the MACC Headquarters in Putrajaya.

“Mohd Najib will face several charges under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009 after prosecution permission is obtained from the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” the MACC said in a statement.

The commission said Najib will be taken to the Sessions Court here at 3pm tomorrow.

The commission added that it will be working with the police to record the Pekan MP’s testimony into ongoing investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.

Najib, 65, is the first former prime minister in the country to have been indicted in a court of law.

He was first charged in July with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one charge for abuse of power involving some RM42 million allegedly funnelled to his private bank account from former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Last month, he was charged again with three counts of money laundering amounting to RM42mil under Section 4 (1)(b) of Anti-Money Laundering Act, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (Amla) 2001.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges.