Rafizi: Did MACC sidestep task force to clear PM?
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's decision to declare the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's private accounts as "donations" raises more questions than answers, said PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's decision to declare the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's private accounts as "donations" raises more questions than answers, said PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.
Firstly, he said the special task force comprising the police, MACC and Bank Negara, with the Attorney-General's Chambers providing legal advice, had always acted as one unit on matters concerning 1MDB.
"It is therefore suspect that for the first time, one component of the task force unilaterally clears the prime minister in relation to the RM2.6 billion.
"What is the stand of the task force collectively, or is this just the stand of MACC?" he asked when contacted.
Previously, MACC reiterated several times that it was not involved in probing 1MDB or the RM2.6 billion issue as its focus is only on SRC International.
Meanwhile, Rafizi asked what was the view of Bank Negara since the funds involved would automatically trigger red flags with regard to money laundering.
Rafizi said it was also suspicious that MACC's position on the matter came one month after Najib's refusal to address the allegation that he received the fund.
Why didn't PM say so earlier?
The matter was first raised by the Wall Street Journal on July 3. The newspaper claimed that Malaysian investigators had traced nearly US$700 million deposited in Najib's account.
The prime minister did not deny this and instead claimed that he had never used 1MDB funds for "personal gain".
Rafizi said previously Najib had claimed that the WSJ was part of a plot to unseat the premier while his minders would attack him (Rafizi) and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua for tampering documents.
"Now, it has taken a new twist that this was a personal donation.
"If it indeed was a personal donation and Najib had documents to prove it all along, why didn't he come out immediately when the allegation first came out?
"Why didn't he sue the WSJ immediately because he supposedly had proof their stories were not accurate? Why did Najib go through three changes of narratives before he could admit it was political donation into his account?
"The more Najib spins, the more he loses the faith and trust of the Malaysian public," he added.
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