Don’t listen to Najib’s version alone, hear ours too: Dr M implores rulers

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has requested the rulers to grant him an audience to explain about the situation in the nation instead of just listening to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"We hope the rulers will give us a chance to explain things to them because so far we have not been given the chance to do so.

"The only things they hear are from Najib, but he is the one being accused of many acts which are not legal," the former premier told a press conference in Putrajaya.

This comes after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced yesterday that they have filed civil lawsuits seeking the forfeiture and return of US$1 billion, which are alleged to have been laundered through 1MDB.

Mahathir said that as there were many Umno leaders who seemed to be "in cahoots" with their leader, they could not be trusted to take action against Najib.

Instead, the people must be the ones to urge for Najib's resignation, Mahathir said.

"It is the people who must make the demand. The demand has actually been made but for some reason or other, the representative of the citizens is not allowed to meet the King," he said.

He also pointed out that the palace is guarded by the police, which is ultimately under the directions of the prime minister.

Previously, Mahathir had attempted unsuccessfully to seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to present him the signatures they had collected under the Citizens' Declaration.

Commenting on the announcement by the DOJ, Amanah communications director Khalid Samad told BN lawmakers that they cannot keep up the "farce" forever and they should "fulfil their responsibilities".

"Form a breakaway group, come together with opposition MPs, vote this man (Najib) out and form a transitional government.

"Do it before you yourself are found guilty of this crime," Khalid warned BN MPs.

Meanwhile, Mahathir also told all the press to report "the truth" because if everyone reported it, then the government would have a hard time abolishing all the press.

"The press in Malaysia are such that you are all frightened of reporting the truth because the government might take action to cancel your licence, so what we say at this table might not be reported by you because of fear but if all of you print everything, I think the government would have a hard time abolishing all the press.

"If you don't publish the truth, then I'm sorry to say you will also be involved in covering up," he said.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) had earlier filed lawsuits in Los Angeles, seeking to seize assets located in US and abroad, including in the UK and Switzerland, as it alleged that the assets were involved in money-laundering through 1MDB.

The assets include mansions, artworks, a private jet and gambling debt in Las Vegas casinos.

The lawsuit named Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz, family friend and businessman Jho Low and two Abu Dhabi government officials, Khadem al-Qubaisi and Mohamed Ahmed Badawy Al-Husseiny.

Najib was not named in the lawsuit.

In an immediate response to the allegations, the Prime Minister's Office said the government would "fully cooperate with any lawful investigation of Malaysian companies or citizens in accordance with international protocol".

According to Najib's press secretary Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad, the prime minister has always maintained that the law would be enforced, without exception, if any wrongdoing was proven. - Mkini