Muhyiddin criticises Najib for suspending inquiry into 1MDB

Former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday continued to criticise Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, asking how long the country would have to wait for the probe on state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to be completed.

Mr Muhyiddin, who has retained his title as deputy president of ruling party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) after being sacked in a Cabinet reshuffle last month, said the public were losing their patience over the matter.

“The Prime Minister said wait, wait, wait. How long more to wait? Until the moon falls into our lap?” he asked when opening an UMNO division meeting in Johor state.

He added that there should be a reasonable time limit for the probe.

“Once that (time limit) is passed, you can say whatever you want, we will not believe you,” he said.

Mr Muhyiddin also spoke out against what he believed to be interference by Putrajaya in the investigations.

“I fully support investigations into 1MDB although there is no longer the special task force. The special task force was disrupted, we don’t know why. They want to work, don’t bother them,” he said.

The special task force, comprising the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bank Negara and the Attorney-General’s Chambers was initially tasked to probe last month’s Wall Street Journal report that up to RM2.6 billion (S$900 million) had been transferred from 1MDB-linked companies into Mr Najib’s personal bank accounts. MACC investigations have revealed that the money in Mr Najib’s accounts were political donations from the Middle East in the lead-up to the 2013 general elections. Putrajaya has since announced that the special task force had been disbanded.

Mr Muhyiddin was dismissed after he criticised the government over its handling of the 1MDB issue, leading to what some believe to be unrest among UMNO supporters, especially those in the southern state of Johor where Mr Muhyiddin is influential. AGENCIES