Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak admitted that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was transferred into his accounts, former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in a video (see below) that has leaked on the Internet.
In the video, Muhyiddin appeared to be informing his guests at his home last night that he had confronted Najib on The Wall Street Journal’s report that US$700 million (RM2.67 billion) of funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-linked firms were deposited into Najib’s personal accounts.
“I asked him (Najib) from whom? He did not mention the name, from somewhere in the Middle East. How much?… Hard to count, he said ‘a lot, a lot’.
“Then I asked why was it transferred to your accounts?… Why did it enter Najib Razak’s accounts? How much money? US$700 million.
“If you multiply that by three point something…2.6 billion goes into his personal account. He said this, he admitted,” Muhyiddin said in the leaked video.
The video ends abruptly after Muhyiddin says, “so I said why did you put into your personal account”.
In the video, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir could be seen seated beside Muhyiddin.
Mukhriz’s visit to the former deputy prime minister’s house took place yesterday, the same day Najib reshuffled the Cabinet, dropping Muhyiddin as his deputy.
Muhyiddin was sacked two days after he told an Umno Cheras division meeting that The Wall Street Journal’s report was a serious matter that needs explaining.
Najib had said members of the Cabinet should not air their differences in an open forum that can affect public opinion against Malaysia and the government.
Meanwhile, Malaysiakini reports former Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh confirming that the conversation in the video took place.
“I don’t want to comment on it. It was a private conversation. It wasn’t supposed to be recorded. Mukhriz had asked people not to record it,” Kadir was quoted as saying by the news portal.
The Malaysian Insider has asked one of Muhyiddin’s officers to verify the video but the query has not been answered.
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on Mukhriz’s website earlier today, the Kedah menteri besar said he accepted the prime minister’s decision to reshuffle the Cabinet as it was his prerogative to do so.
He thanked Muhyiddin, who had also been education minister, for helping in the development of schools in Kedah.
Mukhriz added that he and Muhyiddin had not discussed anything else of importance.
Earlier this month, WSJ and whistleblower website Sarawak Report reported that up to US$700 million (RM2.67 billion) was allegedly transferred from state-owned funds to two bank accounts under Najib’s name with AmBank in March 2013.
The prime minister, however, has denied ever taking any funds from 1MDB for “personal gain” but has not commented directly on the fund transfers. His accounts that allegedly received the funds have since been closed.
Najib has also blamed former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz’s father, whom he accused of working with foreign agents against his administration.
Source: www.malaysianinsider.com
