Led by Center to Combat Cronyism and Corruption (C4), Bersih 2.0 and Global Bersih, they have proposed that the funds be returned via a trust fund modelled after the Bota Foundation in Kazakhstan.
The foundation was founded in 2008 by five Kazakhs and the governments of Kazakhstan, the United States, and Switzerland as a means of returning more than US$115 million (RM450 million) in disputed assets in support of poor children, youth, and their families in Kazakhstan.
A total 104 million Swiss francs (about RM430 million) are frozen in Switzerland pending legal proceedings against Swiss banks accused of laundering 1MDB funds.
Swiss finance minister Ueli Maurer had disclosed that the money was deposited in the Swiss Federal Treasury as there were no claimants, said Bersih 2.0 deputy president Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari.
He said the Swiss parliamentarians allied in this cause will table a motion in the Swiss parliament on March 13 to urge that at least a portion of the money be sent back to the country of origin.
“We hope our parliamentarians will also try to push for the government to do something.
“Parliamentarians in a foreign country are discussing a Malaysia-related issue, but we are not allowed to even raise 1MDB issues in our parliament.”
C4 executive director Cynthia Gabriel said the Malaysian attorney-general and the government had also remained silent on the request from the Swiss attorney-general for “mutual legal assistance” in the investigation of 1MDB financial dealings.
“The Swiss AG’s request for cooperation in regards to the investigation in April 2017 was met with silence from the government.
“Attempts to take the matter to court and discuss it in parliament also met with high-handed dismissiveness.
“If there is no regime change, our proposal is that if the funds are returned, they should be managed by an independent body represented by different groups and employ transparent processes.
“The body should be accountable to the public on how these funds will be distributed back to the people,” said Cynthia.
The Swiss financial regulatory body, Finma, has already punished three Swiss banks for serious breaches of money laundering regulations and confiscated 104 million Swiss francs in illicit gains from money laundering.
The three banks are appealing the decision.