RM2.6b: Suit filed against PM, DPM for violating oath of office

Khairuddin Abu Hassan today filed a suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for alleged breach of trust.

The former Umno man accused the pair of misleading the public on the origin of the US$681 million (RM2.6 billion), which was in Najib's personal bank account.

As a result, Khairuddin claimed, Najib and Zahid violated their oath of office.

He is seeking a court declaration that Najib and Zahid violated their oaths under the Sixth Schedule of the Federal Constitution and therefore were unfit to hold their respective posts or any position in the cabinet.

The suit was filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

In his statement of claim, Khairuddin alleged that prior to holding the post of PM and DPM, Najib and Zahid had taken their oaths under the Sixth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

“Upon taking their oaths, they became trustees of their offices under public law and under a duty not to misrepresent the facts or to mislead Malaysians or lie to them on material issues,” he said.

Khairuddin, in his statement of claim, had alleged that sometime in March 2013, a sum of US$681 million from 1MDB was deposited into Najib's accounts. However, the PM had on various occasions, said the money came from an Arab donor.

Khairuddin claimed that the statement that the money came from an Arab donor was false to Najib's knowledge and that the money had come from Tanore Corporation Finance, which is a company controlled by Low Thaek Jho, who he claimed was Najib's agent. 

"Having uttered the aforesaid falsehood, Najib stands in violation of the solemn oath that he took. He has accordingly, acted in breach of trust reposed in him by Malaysian citizens, and is unfit to hold the high office of PM, and the Cabinet, as established under Article 43 of the Federal Constitution."

On Zahid, the former Umno man claimed that Zahid had told the Dewan Rakyat sometime in August 2015, that he had met the Arab donor or donors, of the sum.

Hence, Khairuddin claimed that Zahid similarly stands in violation of the oath he has taken.

The RM2.6 billion was described as a donation from a Saudi royalty and this was confirmed by attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.

However, Najib's political rivals refuse to accept this and have linked the money to 1MDB. - Mkini