Over the past month, Dato’ Seri Najib Razak and his tailcoat of BN Ministers and leaders have repeatedly harped on the claim that the Prime Minister has been cleared of any wrong doing over the RM2.6 billion donation into his personal account.
“Don’t say I sell the country, I won’t sell the country. I’m the prime minister who will take responsibility for whatever I do… that’s why MACC has said it is not corruption and not 1MDB money,” he was reported saying during the opening of the Bandar Tun Razak Umno division meeting two weeks ago.
Last week, he “cleared” himself again claiming that “there is no regulation in respect to political donation. So you cannot say what is right and what is wrong, okay?”
I had written earlier that Dato’ Seri Najib Razak cannot go around town clearing himself of wrongdoings when the MACC never in its past statements cleared the Prime Minister. If there were any doubts previously, the MACC has made it absolutely clear in its statement yesterday that the case against Dato’ Seri Najib Razak isn’t closed.
In fact, the MACC chided the Prime Minister, without naming him in person for trying vainly to “clear” himself. “The MACC hopes that no party will issue statements that could potentially cause confusion among the public and create a negative perception of the Commission”.
The MACC Chief Commissioner, Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed also confirmed that “the investigations into SRC International Sdn Bhd and the RM2.6 billion are still on-going.” According to leaked investigations, SRC International Sdn Bhd had transferred RM42 million via third parties into Dato’ Seri Najib’s personal bank account in December 2014 and February this year.
The Commission have also previously stated that they “would also ask Najib to give an explanation to the MACC about the donation he received.” Hence it cannot be clearer that the MACC has never cleared the Prime Minister for receiving such dubious and suspicious “donation” from the Middle East.
If Dato’ Seri Najib Razak, or other Ministers for that matter, continue to pressure MACC to “clear” the Prime Minister, then they will be guilty of the same alleged crime Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim was found guilty of in 1999. Back then, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sentenced to 6 years’ jail for using undue influence on 2 Special Branch police officers investigating him for alleged sexual crimes.
While Malaysians believed that the charges against Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim were trumped up, those against Dato’ Seri Najib Razak will be blatantly obvious because the latter has been consistently making false public statements on behalf of MACC.
The best thing for the Prime Minister to do now, if he really believes in his innocence is to volunteer himself to the MACC for a thorough and complete investigation. He is of course entitled to have his lawyers present to ensure that he doesn’t incriminate himself in the process.
If not, the public cannot be blamed for not giving the Prime Minister any benefit of the doubt over the mysterious RM2.6 billion donation into his personal bank account for further mysterious expenditures, which Dato’ Seri Najib Razak has obstinately refused to clarify or provide any transparent and accountable details.