Embattled
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has three options to consider for his
immediate future as he wards off allegations that US$700 million (RM2.67
billion) was transferred into his personal bank accounts, Tun Musa Hitam told
The Malaysian Insider.
The
former deputy prime minister said Najib could: 1) remain in office and fight
the allegations, 2) resign as prime minister and, 3) go on leave pending the
investigations by a special government task force.
On a
personal note, Musa said he would prefer it if Najib took the third option to
allow for an open and transparent investigation.
Speaking
exclusively to The Malaysian Insider yesterday, the 81-year Musa said he could
no longer sit quietly as the issue gripped the nation.
"I
have been under pressure from friends and foes to offer my views although I am
out politics," said Musa who was deputy prime minister from 1981 to 1986
to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib's harshest critic.
Explaining
why he preferred Najib to take the third option, Musa said this would give
investigators the "space psychologically, politically and legally for them
to find the truth".
He said
Najib could resign and this would be the best "treat" the country
would have and give way to new leader in Umno.
"But
I humbly suggest that Najib take leave of absence for a certain length of
period to facilitate the non-partisan investigation that is under way," he
said. "To
me, this (going on leave) is the best option that will show Najib's leadership,
character and personality in line with the principles of parliamentary
democracy," he added.
Musa said
he was making the suggestion in Ramadan and also was invoking the good name of
his mentor, Tun Abdul Razak, who had taken the nation to where it was now.
The late
Razak, the nation's second prime minister, is also Najib's father. "He
(Razak) cared for the people and the nation," said Musa, almost in tears.
Musa said
should Najib go on leave, it should not be construed as a sign of weakness.
"As
for me, I hold dear to the legal maxim that one is innocent until proven guilty
and this also applies to Najib.”
Commenting
on Umno, Musa, who was a former deputy president, said the party was in denial
mode over its leadership problem.
"There
is a very big problem in Umno and this affects the people because Najib was
legally and constitutionally elected," he said, adding that the Umno
president is always the prime minister of the country.
Musa said
Umno must recognise the problem and find ways and means to overcome it.
"They
must find an alternative and this does not mean getting the president out but
looking at the options before them.
"But
this must be done rationally, calmly and in the interest of the country and the
people."
Musa said
all the implications of the options must be studied before a decision was made.
"This
is the way I will do it but unfortunately I am not there.”
Musa also
said that he did not believe in the declaration of support for a leader in power.
"Those
who pledge their support will be first to scoot off when their leader is in
trouble," he said recounting his own experience in the party.
Last
Friday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that up to US$700 million was
transferred into Najib's personal bank accounts in AmPrivate Bank in Kuala
Lumpur between 2013 and 2015.
The WSJ
reported that US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) originating from Tanore Finance, a
company in the British Virgin Islands, was deposited into Najib's accounts in
two transactions on March 21 and 25 in 2013, ahead of the general election in
May.
It also
uploaded documents it used in its report which showed instructions for
telegraphic transfers and charts showing the money trail.
The task
force confirmed yesterday that Najib had accounts at AmBank, but added that the
two accounts were closed before the business
daily broke the story last Friday.
The task
force, in a statement yesterday, had also said one of the accounts had been
closed on August 30, 2013.
Another
sum of US$11.1 million (RM42 million) originating from Finance Ministry-owned
SRC International Sdn Bhd was moved in three tranches between December 2014 and
February this year.
The
second account was closed on March 9 this year, the task force said in the same
statement.
The task
force on Tuesday froze six accounts in relation to its investigation. Najib
denied taking money for personal gain, but has not commented directly on the
fund transfers to his accounts. Bank Negara and AmBank have also not responded
to the allegations.
The task
force yesterday also said the documents being investigated had been provided by
the group itself and were not the ones the WSJ had published. The
statement was signed by the four members of the task force: Attorney-General
Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz,
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed. –
July 10, 2015.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
