Hishammuddin backs Najib on 1MDB with 3 conditions

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's first cousin, wants the PM to ensure rationalisation and accountability is maintained over the 1MDB issue. – The Malaysian Insider pic, June 1, 2015.A senior minister has put conditions to support the prime minister over 1MDB, saying there must be accountability and transparency in solving the debt-ridden company's RM42 billion debts.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today on his Twitter account @HishammuddinH20 that his support for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s ultimatum that ministers either resign or support his rehabilitation measures for 1Malaysia Development Bhd was based on three conditions.

The conditions are there is rationalisation of 1MDB, accountability if there is any wrongdoing and that both of the conditions are carried out transparently.

“Agree (with the ultimatum) with conditions 1) rationalisation of 1MDB,  2) accountability if there is wrongdoing, and 3), transparency on (conditions 1 and 2),” the defence minister said.

Hishammuddin did not attend last Friday's Cabinet meeting as he was in Singapore for a regional security summit.

Najib’s ultimatum was revealed by Umno-controlled daily Utusan Malaysia today, which also reported that none of the ministers declared he or she would not support the prime minister on 1MDB.

Hishammuddin has been in Singapore since May 29, the same day Najib convened a special cabinet meeting to unveil plans to restructure 1MDB, which has chalked up debts of RM42 billion.

A few social media users responded immediately to Hishammuddin’s tweet.

A Twitter user Erwan79, using the handle @A_One79, said: “before you ask Cabinet members to resign, ask members of the 1MDB board of directors to resign. Investigate thoroughly.”

Another Twitter user Mazlan Razak, @MazlanRazak, said: “congratulations, I like ministers with balls.”

Najib was said to have issued the ultimatum soon after Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah finished laying out the road map for 1MDB's restructuring to the ministers.

"The prime minister told members of his Cabinet who were not with him on the 1MDB issue to resign, but not one person did so," the source told the Malay daily.

Utusan also noted that Najib's ultimatum followed the statement by Barisan Backbenchers Club chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, who last Tuesday urged ministers, who did not agree with the collective decision of the Cabinet on 1MDB, to resign.

Shahrir was supporting Umno's Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who said the entire Cabinet was collectively responsible for 1MDB's controversies which have sapped public confidence over the government's handling of the Finance Ministry-owned firm.

Husni, who has been made the government's spokesperson on 1MDB, had said the company had entered into a binding agreement with Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and its subsidiary, Aabar Investments (Aabar), where IPIC would pay 1MDB US$1 billion, on or before June 4, 2015.

The US$1 billion payment would be used to repay a US$975 million (RM3.5 billion) loan, in advance of its due date, to a syndicate of international bank lenders, Husni had said.

- TMI