Since the expose by Wall Street Journal in early July last year of the RM2.6 billion into Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal banking accounts, there have been numerous diverse and even conflicting versions about the source of the multi-billion ringgit deposits in Najib’s accounts, with the total figure expanding from RM2.6 billion to RM4.2 billion.
The latest and newest version about the source of the RM2.6 billion donation to Najib’s personal banking accounts came from the Director-General of Department of Special Affairs (Jasa), Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi in his speech in Canberra in his international “Veracity Tour” to “brainwash” Malay students overseas.
Puad told Malay students in Canberra that Najib had told UMNO leaders when the Wall Street Journal reported the expose in early July last year that he had “Bank Negara documents” to approve the transfer the money (RM2.6 billion) into his personal accounts and that he had discussed it with the Bank Negara governor.
According to Puad, Najib denied the money originated from 1MDB and told UMNO leaders that the money was from the Saudi King (Raja Saudi) to “combat the Islamic State, and secondly, to help in other places such as in Palestine and others”.
The other and sometimes conflicting versions of the source of the RM2.6 billion “donation” into Najib’s personal bank accounts include:
• On August 11, 2015, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the donation was from a “brotherly nation” which wanted to see certain parties win the 13th general election because they were friendly to them.
• Four days later, Umno Kuantan division chief Datuk Seri Wan Adnan Wan Mamat said the RM2.6 billion was from Saudi Arabia as a form of appreciation of Malaysia “championing Islam” and fighting militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).
• But on August 22, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said the donation came from their “Muslim friends in the Middle East” to help Umno fight DAP in the general election, as the party was funded by Jews.
• Later that same day, Zahid said he met the donors’ representatives who informed him that the funds was in appreciation for the government’s efforts in countering terrorism, and to help Barisan Nasional (BN) maintain Malaysia’s status as a Sunni country.
• After the new Attorney-General’s no-further-action decision on Najib, however, the BBC reported an unnamed Saudi source as saying that the money was donated to help the prime minister win GE13 and counter potential Muslim Brotherhood influence in Malaysia.
Can Najib now confirm which one or several of these versions were true and correct and which were untrue and incorrect?
In particular, whether he could confirm that the “donation” was made in appreciation of Malaysia’s “fight against Islamic State”, and how this could be so when the Islamic State only came into existence in mid-2014 while the RM2.6 billion donation was made in March 2013?
Furthermore, could Najib explain how he could give such high praise for the exploits of Islamic State’s predecessor, ISIL or ISIS, at the 20th anniversary dinner of UMNO Cheras Branch on June 24, 2014, calling on UMNO members to emulate the bravery of the ISIL/ISIS terrorists, when he is supposed to be an exemplar of international warrior against Islamic State, ISIL or ISIS?
Furthermore, is the total deposits into his personal bank accounts RM2.6 billion or RM4.2 billion?
The very fact that the two basic questions of “Where the astronomical sums of money in Najib’s twin mega scandals came from and where they have gone to” continue to haunt and hound not only the Malaysian Prime Minister but the Malaysian public not only in Malaysia but in the international context is an eloquent indictment of the failure of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) under Chairman Hasan Arifin to get to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal – as the publication of the PAC Report (tampered by Hasan) on 1MDB scandal reveals only the “tip of iceberg” of the 1MDB global scandal.
Will the PAC under Hasan re-open and continue investigations into the unfinished inquiry into the 1MDB scandal?
Yes.
For the sake of not looking and sounding ridiculous, let jib have the option of picking a single official line of excuse to use.