Mahathir: Najib safe from prosecution for now

The Prime Minister apparently transferred the RM2.6 billion to a Singapore bank where it was frozen by the authorities.

KUALA LUMPUR: With the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) paralyzed and the Attorney- General Abdul Gani Patail sacked, investigation work on the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s private account grinds to a complete halt, said former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in his latest blog posting. “The Governor of the Central Bank, a member of the four-strong Special Task Force, was now rumoured to be under investigation for corruption.”

Najib was now safe from being charged with illegally amassing funds, notes Mahathir. “His claim that the RM2.6 billion in his personal account was to be used for the coming elections is half-true. He had always said that cash is king. With the huge funds at his disposal he would be in a position to bribe his way to victory. He may also have used the money to rig the election.”

After the Wall Street Journal reported on Najib’s RM2.6 billion in his private account, said Mahathir, it was closed. “You cannot take all that money to keep with you. It had to be transferred. Apparently it was transferred to a Singapore bank. Then the Singapore authorities froze it.”

What Najib was doing was unprecedented in Malaysia, laments Mahathir. “The people are at a loss as to what to do. The prospect of Najib continuing to rule this country was utterly depressing. The Malaysia where elections can even see Opposition parties winning whole states will be no more.”

Democracy is dead, declared Mahathir. “It is dead because an elected leader chooses to subvert the institutions of government and make them his instruments for sustaining himself.”

“There was no more democracy for anyone to undermine. Certainly talking about 1MDB will not undermine something that no longer exists. If anyone should be questioned by the police, it is Najib.”

Public clamour about the origin of the money in Najib’s account was so loud that a Special Task Force comprising the head of four government institutions was set up, reminded Mahathir. “The Attorney- General headed this Special Task Force and the members were the IGP, the Head of Bank Negara and the Head of MACC, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.”

Najib was clearly uncomfortable with the investigations carried out by the Special Task Force, said Mahathir. “The members seemed to be too independent. Najib could not control them.”

“The Special Task Force was apparently determined to seek the truth about the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s account. Najib’s claim that it was a donation was not convincing.”

“Then Najib decided to take action to stop all the investigations on 1MDB and his private account.”

First, said Mahathir, he announced that people should stop talking about 1MDB. “It was not just a hint but an open statement that such talk would be regarded as undermining democracy and an attempt to overthrow an elected leader.”

“This would attract police attention and investigation.”

Immediately, said Mahathir, following that Gani Patail was sacked as Attorney- General. “In Malaysia’s legal system the AG determines whether a case would be heard in a court or not. The AG who seemed to be heading the Special Task Force would be in a position to take it to the courts if there was evidence of criminality in Najib’s possession of the billions in his account.”

The AG’s removal means that he could no longer make any decision over the unprecedented wealth of Najib, said the former Prime Minister. “A judge was made AG and clearly he was not interested in the Special Task Force and its investigations. He seemed determined to clear Najib.”