On July 3, 2015, Wall Street Journal reported that government investigators probing 1MDB traced a cash flow of over RM42 million into Najib’s personal bank account from SRC International Sdn Bhd just before the 2013 general election.
Until today, Najib did not deny that he received the money from SRC International, nor did he sue WSJ for defamation.
In order not to mistake his silence as admission, I submitted a parliamentary question on this, seeking his confirmation as to whether he did receive any money from SRC International. To my disappointment, Najib refused to give an unambiguous answer. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said declined to answer my question as, according to her, the matter was still being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
My question is a factual one. Did Najib, also the Finance Minister of our country, receive “donation” from SRC International, a company owned by Ministry of Finance? The fact that MACC is investigating the matter does not give Najib the immunity to run away from answering this question in Parliament. As the Finance Minister, he has the duty to report the activity of a GLC to Parliament when being asked. Azalina was abusing her power when she declined to answer.
2nd part of my question is whether the prime minister received donations from other government-linked corporations (GLCs). Azalina did not deny that. Instead, she said Najib, as the MP for Pekan, received donations to carry out political activities in his constituency.
The reply from Azalina is alarming and worrying. Is she saying that SRC International was not the only GLC that “donated” money to Najib? The RM42 million donation from SRC International, was it only a tip of iceberg? If that is the case, how many GLCs have “donated” to Najib before and how much taxpayers’ money was “donated” to Najib’s personal account?
If Najib is truly a man with nothing to hide, he and his ministers need to come clean up this issue immediately. Stop giving lame excuses or trying to fool, if Najib’s conscience is clear, he should have no difficulties to tell the people if he has been receiving “donations” from GLCs.