Najib's 'failed state' warning already becoming a reality, says Kit Siang

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's warning that Malaysia may become a failed state without national unity and interfaith harmony was already becoming a reality, said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.

However, Lim said the country was sliding towards a failed state not because of the lack of unity or harmony but due to it being regarded as a global kleptocracy.

"Is Najib aware that Malaysia has taken a first step to become a 'failed state' when we ascended to the 'global kleptocracy' club without any sense of contrition or compunction, whether by the cabinet or Parliament?" he said in a statement today.

Lim questioned if Najib will ever address this or plans to just brazen through the embarrassment.

"Something has gone very wrong in the 60-year journey of Malaysian nation-building that the Malaysian cabinet and Parliament could countenance the country being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy, without any attempt or strategy to clear or counter such ill fame of a global kleptocracy," he said.

As such, Lim reiterated that Najib should attend the 'Save Malaysia' roundtable on Tuesday for a reset on upholding integrity and good governance in Malaysia.

Najib has become a subject of international reports after receiving at least RM4.2 billion in total deposits in his personal bank accounts.

The prime minister had denied the money originated from 1MDB and claimed it was a "donation" from a member of the Saudi Arabia royal family.

1MDB is the subject of investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's kleptocracy asset recovery initiative over allegations that monies initiating from the fund were being laundered in the US.

Yesterday, The Star Online reported Najib raising the "failed state" warning while attending the World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Forest Research Institute.- Mkini