Only a bad finance minister hoards cash at home, Kadir says

The cash discovered in Najib Abdul Razak's home and properties linked to him does not reflect well on his former role as finance minister, said A Kadir Jasin.

"If it is true that millions of dollars in cash were kept at home, then I have to say that Najib was a very bad finance minister," the Council of Eminent Persons spokesperson told Malaysiakini.

Kadir was referring to the series of police raids on Najib's home and other properties in relation to the 1MDB matter.

"Cash that is kept at home does not generate income, and it doesn't help the economy.

"He should have put the money into circulation by putting it in the bank," he said.

The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department has over the past week raided several locations, including Najib's residence in Taman Duta.

There, police seized boxes of handbags, clothing and gifts.

Police also raided three Najib-linked condominium units in Pavilion Residences, Bukit Bintang, seizing 72 bags of cash, jewellery and other valuables, as well as 284 boxes of designer handbags.

Kadir said Najib must be from a very rich family to have that kind of money.

"Najib has to come from a very, very wealthy family, probably as wealthy as some of the billionaires in the country, with so much cash at home," he said.

Najib, through the prime minister's office while he was in power, had in 2015 claimed his wealth came from "inheritance."

However, Najib's brothers later refuted the claim.

Najib served as prime minister from 2009 to 2018, and was also the finance minister during the same period.

He led BN to its first defeat since independence, bringing an end to the coalition's six-decade grip on power.

The defeat came amid the rising cost of living and the 1MDB scandal, which the new Pakatan Harapan government under Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has vowed to address. -Mkini