There is substance in allegations against Najib, says Dr Mahathir

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad details the prime minister's actions after a Cabinet reshuffle last month. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, August 17, 2015.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's actions in the past few weeks in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and the RM2.6 billion "donation" in his personal accounts proved that there is substance in the allegations made against him, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Writing in his blog today, the former prime minister detailed a litany of Najib's actions since the Cabinet reshuffle late last month.

It included the axing of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as deputy prime minister and the removal of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as Attorney-General.

He also pointed out that the Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) probe into 1MDB was also frozen after four of its members, including its chairman was elevated to ministerial posts.

The inquiry will only continue after new members are appointed to the bipartisan panel when Parliament reconvenes on October 19.

The special task force comprising the police, the Attorney-General's Chambers, Bank Negara and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which was set up to investigate 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion in Najib's personal accounts, was also disbanded.

MACC was raided by the police and its officers investigated, while two of its top officers were to be transferred to the Prime Minister's Department, until the transfer order was rescinded amid a public outcry.

There were also rumours that Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz was to be investigated, while The Edge Media Group's two publications were suspended for three months for exposing the 1MDB scandal.

"With these actions, Najib has effectively stopped investigations on the disappearance of billions of ringgit invested by 1MDB and the appearance of RM2.6 billion in Najib’s accounts.

"Now no legal action can be taken against Najib as the allegations cannot be proven. But his very actions prove that there is substance in the allegations made against him," Dr Mahathir wrote on his popular blog chedet.cc today.

The Wall Street Journal along with whistleblower site Sarawak Report had reported last month that Najib received RM2.6 billion into his personal bank accounts prior to the 13th general election.

MACC subsequently announced that the money was "donation" from a Middle Eastern country, which an Umno division leader claimed that it was from Saudi Arabia and it was a form of appreciation of Malaysia's effort to combat Isis, championing Islam and for practising Sunni Islam (Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah).

A few of Najib's Cabinet members had previously said there was nothing wrong in money being funnelled into his personal accounts as he had the capacity to act as a trustee for Umno.

- TMI