Kit Siang: Cabinet must resign on five counts

The alternative is for Ministers to prove that they are a Cabinet of model Malaysian patriots and leaders.

KUALA LUMPUR: If the Cabinet is unable to secure certain decisions at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, then the ministers, as honourable and patriotic Malaysians, have one final option left i.e. to collectively resign as Cabinet ministers.

“They have no choice but to dissociate themselves from irresponsible, opaque and unaccountable management of massive public funds,” said DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang in a curtain raiser. “Even more important, they have to set high standards of trust, integrity and good governance for all holders of public office for now and the future.”

The ministers must prove that they are a Cabinet of model Malaysian patriots and leaders, added Lim who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, “and not just a coterie or self-seeking politicians who cannot put national interests above personal and/or party interests by taking a patriotic stand on the great issues of the day”.

Lim described the certain decisions that the Cabinet must take on Wednesday as follows:

Firstly, demand that Najib make a clean breast to the Cabinet and nation of his role in the 1MDB scandal, as he is in law and fact, the final approving authority for 1MDB deals not only as prime minister and finance minister but also under Clause 117 of the 1MDB Memorandum and Articles of Association (M&A).

“Most important of all, Najib must declare to the Cabinet and nation whether he could deny categorically that some USD700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into his personal accounts in AmBank and to declare whether he had any personal accounts in his name in AmBank, and if so, to reveal their identities,” said Lim.

“If some RM2.4 billion had been deposited into his personal accounts, then Najib should also explain where these colossal sums of money have now gone to.”

Secondly, ask Najib to explain to the Cabinet and nation whether he is aware that The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report “Investigators Believe Money Flowed to Malaysian Leaders’ Accounts Amid 1MDB Probe” was based on the government probe into 1MDB by Bank Negara Malaysia, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Royal Malaysian Police, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“He has to state when the report of the government probe finding that almost USD700 million (RM2.6 billion) of 1MDB’s funds had been deposited into his personal accounts had been presented to him, and what actions he had taken,” said Lim.

Thirdly, declassify and make public the interim report of the Auditor-General on 1MDB which will be presented to the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday.

“Najib has to demonstrate that the National Transformation Programme principles and objectives of accountability, transparency and good governance are not empty slogans but living operational principles of his premiership,” said Lim.

Fourthly, approve the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) with unfettered powers to inquire into all aspects of 1MDB, and to demonstrate that both the government and the prime minister have nothing hide and are not afraid of the most thorough inquiry. “Appoint the strongest critics of 1MDB ventures as commissioners. The RCI can be headed by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Other commissioners could include Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli,” said Lim.

Fifthly, ask Najib to go on leave as prime minister for three months which should be the time frame for the RCI into 1MDB to submit its report and findings.

“The ball is in the court of the Cabinet ministers later on Wednesday,” reminded Lim.

The announcement by the task force on Tuesday that it had frozen six bank accounts, three of them believed to belong to the prime minister, has cast a completely new complexion on the biggest prime ministerial crisis in the nation’s history, continued Lim. “Is the noose which the WSJ report had thrown around Najib’s neck getting tighter?”

And if the noose for Najib is getting tighter, stressed Lim, it is also getting tighter for the Cabinet ministers as well. “The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday is the last opportunity for the ministers to acquit themselves as honourable, upright and patriotic Malaysians for the annals of Malaysian history.”