Rafizi: Why was Riza Aziz on Najib's jet to China?

Rafizi Ramli today questioned why Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz was on the government's official jet to China.

“Not only do we have to bear (the cost) of the expensive jet, but now he (Najib) is bringing his stepson (with him), whom the whole world is looking for in relation to (misappropriated) 1MDB monies.

“Riza shouldn't be given special treatment using the people's funds. He should be arrested and questioned,” the Pandan MP told the House when debating Budget 2017.

Riza was spotted in local media footage and photos of Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor disembarking from an official government jet in China yesterday.

Also spotted was Najib's son Norashman, who shared a 'point of view' photo of him getting off the jet on Instagram.

The US Department of Justice civil suits had accused Riza of receiving funds misappropriated from 1MDB.

Rafizi estimated that of the government's RM215 billion operating expanditure for 2016, the total "wastage", including from the use of government jets, was at 15.2 percent or about RM30 billion.

"What's the significance of the RM30 billion? RM30 billion is what the government expects to collect from the goods and services tax (GST).

"If there was no jet, no prime minister's stepson getting on that jet, we may not need to collect GST. It would be enough for us to control our expenses," Rafizi said.

Rafizi also argued that GST can either be completely removed or reduced if the government invested the nation's oil revenue in a special fund meant for the people.

Similar to Norway, he said, this fund could also be used to fund free education for all Malaysians. -Mkini