Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Task force won’t hold probe that lacks credibility: Khairy

PUTRAJAYA — The special task force investigating the allegations that Prime Minister Najib Razak had received funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) would not conduct a probe that lacks credibility, said a Malaysian federal minister yesterday.

Malaysian plainclothes police cart away a computer from the 1MDB office after a raid in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP

Malaysian plainclothes police cart away a computer from the 1MDB office after a raid in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

PUTRAJAYA — The special task force investigating the allegations that Prime Minister Najib Razak had received funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) would not conduct a probe that lacks credibility, said a Malaysian federal minister yesterday.

Urging the public not to prejudge the task force on 1MDB, Youth and Sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin also said Malaysians should have more trust in the four agencies that are conducting the investigation.

“If you look at the heads of these agencies, people like Tan Sri Zeti, who is internationally respected, I do not think she or others would want to put (their) reputation on the line by overseeing an investigation which is not credible,” the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) youth chief said, referring to Bank Negara Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

In a report last Friday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claimed that a money trail showed that nearly US$700 million (S$944 million) was moved among government agencies, banks and companies before it ended up in Mr Najib’s personal accounts.

A special task force comprising Malaysia’s Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bank Negara Malaysia, the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission are investigating 1MDB and the claim made by the WSJ.

“Still very much premature to comment on the credibility of the task force,” Mr Khairy said, when asked on calls to set up the Royal Commission Inquiry for the 1MDB investigation.

The task force investigations this week froze six bank accounts and seized 17 documents over the alleged money trail, but later said that none of these were linked to Mr Najib.

Mr Najib has denied taking funds from 1MDB for “personal gain”, and his lawyers have since asked the WSJ to state if the newspaper is accusing the Prime Minister of misappropriating funds.

Opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang dismissed Mr Khairy’s guarantee of independence in the government investigations.

He said the assurance was “far-fetched” as the four federal agencies on the special task force are headed by civil servants who ultimately report not to the Cabinet, but to the Prime Minister, who has been personally linked to the ongoing investigation.

“Khairy’s claim that ministers will ensure that investigations are conducted ‘without fear or favour’ is completely far-fetched and not worthy of any belief, as the Cabinet ministers have absolutely no powers determining its establishment, composition and scope inquiry,” Mr Lim said yesterday.

In a separate statement, DAP lawmaker Gobind Singh Deo, who is Mr Lim’s colleague, also said the scope of the investigations by the task force should be made clear.

The public has the right to know the real scope of the investigation, what the possible offences are and who the prime suspects are in order to inspire greater public confidence, Mr Gobind said.

“It is important for an assurance to be given to us that this probe is not just a formality which has no direction and will ultimately end up without impact.”

MALAY MAIL

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.