Najib had no obligation to tell anyone about RM2.6b, says ex-law minister

Former de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had no obligations to inform anyone that he received a RM2.6 billion political donation.

Nazri, who is also Umno supreme council member, said Najib only needed to alert Bank Negara Malaysia of a large tranche of cash coming into the country and need not keep anyone else in the loop.

“He never told us (the supreme council). He didn't have to tell us. He just has to get approval from Bank Negara, that’s all,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby.

The Culture and Tourism Minister said this after Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi last week revealed Najib told the council the central bank gave the clearance for the transaction.

“(Former Umno president Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) led us in five general elections.

"He did not tell us how much money he collected. It’s normal practice, okay? Why is it okay when Mahathir did it, but for Najib not okay?

“Najib collected money into his accounts, at least I know how much he collected. Mahathir, five times (he led us in the) general election... I don’t know how much he collected to this day,” Nazri said.

He pointed out that BN fields candidates in all 222 parliamentary seats and more than 500 state seats in a general election, and each seat requires deposits.

This requires funding, he added.

“I want to tell you, I was minister of law for nine years. No offence was committed when Najib collected RM2.6 billion to finance the BN election machinery. Every party does that,” he said.

Asked why Najib did not come clean about when the funds were found in his accounts last year, Nazri retorted: “Did he have to?”

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali in January cleared Najib of wrongdoing over the RM2.6 billion donation.

Apandi said it was a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family.

Prince Sultan Abdulaziz, son of King Salman, told reporters last week that the kingdom never gives money to destabilise existing regimes.

"Saudi Arabia has never given money to upset existing political regimes, even if we don't agree with them," he said.

However, he could not give more details on the donation to Najib as he has no background information on it.

-MKini-