PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil rubbished claims that the opposition was trying to get the US to interfere in Malaysian politics, in the wake of the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s latest filing which alleges that at least US$4.5 billion had been misappropriated from 1MDB.
Responding to Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak, Fahmi pointed out that even US President Donald Trump could not control the DOJ.
“I’m not certain if he is aware but, last I checked, Pakatan Harapan does not control the DOJ.
“Even the US President himself does not control the DOJ,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Trump attacked DOJ deputy attorney-general Rod Rosenstein for investigating him over his firing of Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James Comey.
“I am being investigated for firing the FBI director by the man who told me to fire the FBI director! Witch hunt,” Trump said in a Twitter posting.
Fahmi said Salleh should cease slandering the opposition.
Instead, he said Salleh should explain why Putrajaya had not delivered a protest note to the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, or summoned the US ambassador to Malaysia for an explanation, if what was contained in the DOJ filing was untrue.
“In actual fact, I think Salleh’s incoherent reasoning, coupled with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak press secretary’s choice of words, reveal that Putrajaya is in panic mode.
“How can they not be, when courts in several jurisdictions including in Switzerland and Singapore have successfully prosecuted, indicted, and even subjected lifetime bans on individuals found guilty of involvement in the 1MDB financial scandal?
“Only in Malaysia has absolutely nothing been found,” he said.
Fahmi said all those responsible for the 1MDB scandal must be brought to justice.
Najib’s press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad had accused the DOJ of having ulterior motives in filing the civil forfeiture suit.
The DOJ is seeking to seize US$1.7 billion in assets allegedly acquired using money stolen from 1MDB.
Among the named alleged benefactors were Penang billionaire Jho Low, Najib’s step-son Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, executives of 1MDB, and Aabar Investments PJS while unnamed officials include “Malaysian Official 1” and his wife.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan confirmed last year that Malaysian Official 1 referred to the prime minister.
– M’kini
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