Najib Says Khairy Should Have Spoken Up, Claims His Life at Risk

4361
- Advertisement - [resads_adspot id="2"]

Najib said Khairy should have spoken up earlier if there was a problem with his leadership, and allegedly, he has asked to be put under witness protection. 

  • Najib’s claims:
  1. Police first searched his home for 18 hours the night after polling day, seizing personal items unrelated to 1MDB
  2. Personal belongings seized from Pavilion Tower were giving to him by his friends
  3. Cash was actually donations meant for BN’s election campaign
  4. Investigators did not provide him with a list of items taken
  5. RM2.6 billion he received in 2013 merely a donation from Saudi royal family
  6. His life and family members at risk
  • Najib allegedly asked to be put under witness protection in the probe into 1MDB
  • Najib apparently being investigated under Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act

In an exclusive interview with the Malay Mail – his first interview since Barisan Nasional (BN) lost GE14, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was asked about the criticisms levelled at him by certain Umno members after the coalition’s embarrassing defeat.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve always practised an open style. People were free to voice their comments, even difference of opinion. I’m quite open about it, except that I want it to be done in private because we should not attack each other as members of the government.

“So Khairy is free to come and see me and say: ‘Look sir. I think you are not on the right track, or there is some problem, you know, which were not resolved in a proper way.’ Then I could then decide, whether to accept or not to accept. 

Yusof Mat Isa

“He didn’t do that. I mean, he admitted that he didn’t do that,” Najib was quoted saying.

In an interview with Singapore broadcaster Channel News Asia after BN lost the election, Umno Youth wing chief Khairy Jamaluddin admitted that BN leaders had been “drunk” on hubris after 60 years of uninterrupted power.

Khairy also admitted that no one in Umno nor BN was willing to “bell the cat” after seeing their then second-in-command dropped from Cabinet for questioning Najib over the source of 1MDB’s funds and where RM2.6 billion had gone.

Najib said he has never forced his ideals on any BN members, emphasising only the need to follow the party line for discipline’s sake.

“Ya, because if you attack the leadership openly, that’s against party discipline. But if you come and say: ‘Sir, I disagree with you. I think you should do it this way.’ That is not against party discipline.”

Dressed in a yellow polo T-shirt and slacks, the former prime minister was described as calm and composed.

He also said that rule of law must be applied equally to everyone, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir has consistently pointed out that investigations into the 1MDB scandal and Najib’s role in it must be subject to the rule of law and due process.

“Whatever it is, it has to be fair. Rule of law has to be applied in a very fair way, and it must be seen to apply to everybody. Everybody must adhere to the rule of law.

“I mean, if you have accepted 30 horses from your friends, that must also be taken into account, because he has admitted openly. The horses were given by his friends.

Yusof Mat Isa

“He has received gratification from his friends and has admitted it openly,” Najib was quoted saying of Dr Mahathir.

Previously, Mahathir had revealed his love for horses, admitting that he owned close to 40 of them, some of which were given to him.

Najib also questioned finance minister-designate Lim Guan Eng’s trial for alleged corruption.

“Well, the principle is the rule of law. He is not guilty until proven, so he’s not guilty because he’s been charged. Though he’s not guilty yet, most people don’t think it is appropriate for a man who has been charged to be appointed as a minister of finance, until he clears his name.

“I’m not saying he’s guilty, but clear your name first,” Najib was quoted as saying.

He revealed that he lodged a report yesterday at the Sentul police headquarters at 5pm.

In the police report sighted by the Malay Mail, Najib had said that there was a threat on his life and his family members, and he requested to be placed under witness protection.

He claimed he learnt through his sources that the threats are from within Malaysia and also overseas, from people who were directly and indirectly linked to 1MDB funds internationally.

Najib said police officers from Bukit Aman’s commercial crime unit had first gone to his house on the night of May 10.

He said they were at his home for 18 hours and seized items belonging to him and his son which he alleged had nothing to do with 1MDB.

In his report, he also stated that police had raided three premises at Pavilion Residences and seized jewellery, cash and other personal belongings that he claimed were given to him by his friends.

He further stated that the cash was actually donations meant for BN’s election campaign.

Najib also said the investigators did not provide him with a list of items that they took.

In the police report, he reiterated his claim that the RM2.6 billion he received in 2013 was a donation from the Saudi royal family.

Critics, however, believe the RM2.6 billion donation was actually funds diverted from 1MDB.

Reportedly, Najib is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA) 2001.

If found guilty under Section 4(1) of the AMLATFA, a person can be jailed up to 15 years and fined not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity or instrumentalities at the time the offence was committed or RM5 million, whichever is higher.