Claims he doesn’t have such an astronomical amount to pay anyone.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has dismissed 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) efforts to recover US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) from him, making it clear that he doesn’t have such an astronomical amount to pay anyone.
Najib, 69, said he did not know why 1MDB thought he had RM2.6 billion to repay as compensation when he could not even pay what the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) was demanding from him in unpaid taxes.
“I don’t even have RM1.7 billion to pay the IRB. They (1MDB) think I can pay RM2.6 billion?”, he said in his latest Facebook posting.
Najib noted that 1MDB had filed a civil suit against him to demand payment of US$681 million they claim as losses incurred.
“This is the infamous RM2.6 billion which was banked into my personal bank accounts.
“In the 1MDB criminal case, I was charged with nine counts of money laundering involving the RM2.6 billion, which I returned to the sender four months after receiving it.

“Even though I returned all the funds, 1MDB still wants to sue me,” he said alluding to the Arab donation which he claimed to have received from the Saudi Royalty.
In his post today, Najib noted that 1MDB’s civil suit was filed by Messrs Rosli Dahlan Saravana, a firm owned by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s personal lawyer.
The firm was appointed by 1MDB when Muhyiddin was in power.
Najib, who is Pekan Member of Parliament and former Finance Minister, said the suit against him was based solely on the affidavit of a single 1MDB officer.
“I don’t know why 1MDB thinks I have RM2.6 billion to pay as compensation. I don’t have assets worth US$681 million.
“They have also restricted my monthly withdrawal to be set at a maximum of RM100,000 monthly…this includes the amount which can be withdrawn from my pension account,” he said.
Najib said it was clear that 1MDB’s civil suit was aimed at building the perception that he had assets worth US$681 million that could be frozen.
“This is false. After years of investigating, the government is clear on the assets I own,” he said.
Najib was commenting on the injunction obtained by 1MDB and one of its subsidiaries to freeze his assets after they filed a suit to recover US$681 million from him.
The order also states that Najib must also make written disclosures to 1MDB of assets parked locally or abroad under his name or others.
It was reported that 1MDB had obtained the court order in its bid to recover the money from Najib, who has since pledged to mount a strong challenge against the injunction.
His lawyer, Farhan Muhammad Shafee said the challenge would be mounted on various grounds, including one claiming that there was a substantial delay in filing the injunction. – NST