KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Two Umno MPs today expressed their complete support for Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the prime minister battles embezzlement allegations following a report by US-based Wall Street Journal (WSJ) last week.
Lenggong MP Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said he fully supported Najib, adding that claims by WSJ that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was wired into the prime minister’s personal bank accounts were merely an attempt to unseat the democratically-elected Barisan Nasional (BN) leader.
“As a member of parliament and as an Umno member, I’ve gotten an explanation from the relevant parties and I fully support the prime minister.
“I’m confident with his leadership and I know that what happened today is part of the efforts to topple the prime minister,” he said during a break-of-fast event here organised by the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) of which he is the chairman.
Puteri Umno chief, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin also threw her support behind Najib, urging the public to allow for the due process to take place and not jump to speculation.
“We must trust our leadership to do what needs to be done for the country and the BN government.
“I hope the public will remain calm and carefully weigh and consider any information so that they aren’t tricked or swayed by false information,” the Masjid Tanah MP said.
Mas Ermieyati added that the Attorney-General’s intention to prosecute the whistleblowers responsible for leaking documents to WSJ was the right move as it will encourage other organisations to practise “integrity and good governance.”
“It can happen anywhere, good governance, integrity, even in schools, information is leaked not only in political parties... so we should instil good governance and integrity in all Malaysians; that’s what we need.
“It stunts (mencacatkan) proceedings, it stunts and disturbs investigations, and it tarnishes the name of the AG and those involved,” she said, referring to the act of leaking information.
The AG earlier today said that the alleged Malaysian officials who leaked confidential information related to an ongoing investigation on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to WSJ will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail stressed that the leak is a criminal offence under the Financial Services Act, Islamic Financial Services Act and the Penal Code.
On Saturday, Abdul Gani confirmed that a special task force comprising his office, Bank Negara Malaysia, the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, had started investigations into the allegations made by WSJ and that raids had already been carried out on three companies implicated in the report.
Earlier today, the task force raided 1MDB’s office in Kuala Lumpur, with the state-owned company confirming that investigators have confiscated documents.
In a report last Friday, the WSJ, citing documents from Malaysian investigators currently scrutinising the troubled 1MDB’s financials, claimed that a money trail showed that US$700 million were moved between government agencies, banks and companies before it ended up in Najib’s accounts.
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.
