Malaysian authorities are preparing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to repatriate 12 valuable paintings purchased with misappropriated funds from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is currently awaiting a detailed quotation from Sotheby's, the New York-based auction house that has been safeguarding the artworks under the custody of the United States Department of Justice. The repatriation process involves complex logistics, specialized handling, and comprehensive insurance coverage that together drive costs significantly higher than standard shipping procedures. According to MACC Special Operations Division senior director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, the commission has not yet received final cost estimates or a confirmed timeline for the artworks' return. The paintings, collectively valued at over $30 million (approximately RM140 million), represent a crucial component of Malaysia's ongoing efforts to recover assets lost in one of the world's largest financial scandals. The elaborate security and preservation measures required for fine art transportation explain the substantial anticipated expenses, which include custom-built museum-grade crates and climate-controlled environments to protect the delicate works from damage during transit. Art logistics experts emphasize that transporting masterpieces of this caliber demands specialized expertise that regular commercial shipping companies cannot provide. A senior curator who requested anonymity explained that the process requires white-glove handling and meticulous attention to environmental conditions, as even minor fluctuations in temperature or humidity could permanently damage these irreplaceable works. The insurance premiums alone present a major cost factor, typically ranging from one to three percent of the artwork's total value, meaning a single $30 million painting could incur insurance costs of up to $900,000. At the lower end of the coverage scale, insurance for the entire collection could easily reach several million dollars, making it one of the most significant expenses in the repatriation budget. The eight paintings ready for immediate return include works by some of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century. The collection features Pablo Picasso's "Trois Femmes Nues et buste d'homme" (1969) and "L'écuyère et les clowns" (1961), Henri Matisse's "Femme assise" (1903), Alexander Calder's "Studies for Sculpture" (1941), and William H. Bailey's "Still Life with White Pitcher" (1978). Additionally, the shipment will include Raoul Dufy's "Conots et vapeurs sur la Marne" (1920), Maurice Utrillo's "Maison de rendez-vous de chasse de Henri IV, rue St Vincent, Montmartre" (1934), and Balthus's "Etude pour femme couchée" (1948). These masterpieces were originally purchased by former 1MDB counsel Jasmine Loo using embezzled funds, and have remained under US federal custody as part of the international investigation into the multi-billion dollar corruption scheme. Four additional paintings remain tied up in court proceedings and cannot be repatriated until legal clearances are obtained, further complicating the recovery timeline. The 1MDB scandal, which came to light in 2015, involved the misappropriation of an estimated $4.5 billion from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, with former Prime Minister Najib Razak later convicted on corruption charges related to the case. Recovering these cultural assets represents not only a financial victory for Malaysia but also a symbolic step toward justice and accountability. The successful return of these paintings will mark a significant milestone in the country's asset recovery efforts, though officials acknowledge that the process requires patience and substantial investment to ensure the artworks arrive safely and can be properly displayed for future generations.