While investigations are still ongoing in regards to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, former prime minister Najib Razak has a thing or two to say after he was arrested two weeks ago and faced four charges in high court.
According to The Star, Najib is claiming that several top government officials including the Attorney General (AG), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief and the Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director, are “not qualified” to pursue the 1MDB investigation.
He is currently seeking an order and declaration that AG Tommy Thomas, MACC chief commissioner Mohd Syukri Abdull and Federal CCID Director Commissioner Datuk Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh’s involvement in the 1MDB case is invalid.
According to Najib, Tommy Thomas wrote an article in July 2016 titled, “Grand Larceny 1MDB”. In short, the article summarised that the money transferred into Najib’s personal bank account was actually 1MDB money. Thomas was not the AG back then.
Najib claimed that Thomas implied in his article that he did not “like” him (Najib), which made Najib concerned that Thomas would find a way to get him arrested for any reason. He added that Thomas clearly did not have his “own stand” and lacked appropriate judgement.
Najib then said that Thomas is not qualified to be involved in the 1MDB’s investigation in any way.
He went on to explain that Mohd Syukri had claimed in a press conference held on SRC International, that Najib had received RM42 million and RM2.6 billion before he was even called to give a statement to MACC.
He added that the media statement made by Mohd Syukri was “emotional” and “vengeful” in nature and that it saddened him that Syukri described him (Najib) as an “offender”.
This made Najib insecure about not having a “fair” and transparent investigation as he claimed Mohd Syukri was not neutral when the investigation has yet to be completed, but instead had punished Najib without “solid grounds”.
Putting him in the same boat as AG Thomas, Najib said that Syukri was not qualified to lead the MACC team, nor be a member of the taskforce in the 1MDB investigations.
Lastly, he also complained that the raid conducted by Amar Singh at his various residences did not follow Standard Operating Procedure, and that he had lodged several police reports.
He believes Amar Singh’s integrity could be disputed, and was not qualified to become an advisor to the 1MDB special task force.
Thomas, Mohd Syukri Abdull and Amar had originating summons (ex-parte) filed separately against each of them at the Kuala Lumpur High Court via the law firm Badrul, Samad, Faik & Co on June 28. Najib has named all three of them as the respondents in his lawsuit, besides asking for costs and other reliefs.
Do you also think these three top government officials are unqualified for their jobs as Najib claims them to be? Let us know in the comments below.
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