'SYOK SENDIRI' NAJIB AVOIDS PARLIAMENT AS 1MDB SIZZLES: Explain why govt sold land to 1MDB so cheaply - Rafizi

Datuk Seri Najib Razak must come to the Dewan Rakyat to explain why land at the Tun Razak Exchange was sold to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) for just RM64 psf, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said today.

The prime minister must also address MPs on calls for his resignation and state to the elected representatives whether he will step down.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, Rafizi said he had put forth these matters for question time but they were rejected on the grounds that they merely sought an opinion from the prime minister.

But Rafizi said today that these were pertinent questions being asked by the rakyat, and as such, Najib was duty-bound to answer them in Parliament.

"He cannot give 'syok sendiri' answers from outside Parliament.

"The people want to know these answers, so he must come to Parliament and answer, where he is duty-bound to speak the truth, or there will be implications," Rafizi said.

PKR parliament whip Johari Abdul said Najib had to answer these questions which had also been raised by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, otherwise the allegations would be deemed as true.

"On the TRX land, it involves public funds and government land. He should take the opportunity to answer the questions posed by the former prime minister and the people," Johari said.

PM Najib

Rafizi also said that they could not accept the reason given for rejecting his two questions, adding that his questions were not personal in nature.

"The question of the TRX land deal is now public knowledge, the decision of the government to sell at a dirt cheap price of RM64 psf to 1MDB is now public knowledge and has courted too much controversy, given the land deal with Tabung Haji.

"If the prime minister does not want to answer Dr Mahathir, at the very least, out of respect to Parliament and the public, he should justify why the government sold that piece of land at that kind of price to 1MDB," he said.

Tabung Haji's purchase of the TRX land at RM188.5 million for 0.63ha meant that the fund had paid RM2,773 psf to 1MDB.

Rafizi's second question had been whether Najib agreed with the calls for him to step down as suggested by Dr Mahathir.

Rafizi

"The questions were rejected because they were asking the opinion of the prime minister. If all questions perceived as asking the opinion of the prime minister are rejected, then we might as well close the Dewan Rakyat.

"I am not asking about his wife, but the land sale (and) the confidence of the people towards him in leading BN and the country (which) is relevant to the stability and smooth running of the government," he said.

Johari said Najib's avoidance of such questions implied that what Dr Mahathir had been saying was true, and would cause further confusion among the people if left unclarified by the prime minister.

"So he must come to Parliament and explain things to make it official," Johari said. - TMI