Najib denies signing off cheques to Umno using 1MDB monies

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak denied signing off any cheques to Umno using money from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

"It's not from 1MDB funds. My conscience is clear. When we issued the cheques we were very clear it was not from 1MDB.I would not have issued the cheques if they came from 1MDB," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Monday (July 23).

It was previously reported that Barisan Nasional had received RM300mil from 1MDB for the 2013 general election, and that Umno received about RM145mil of these funds from Najib's AmBank account.

Pressed further, Najib said the case was subject to investigations and that the source of funds must be established clearly at the end of it all.

."Let it be in the hands of investigators, because we do not want to pre-empt their findings," he said.

Earlier, Najib was thrown a surprise birthday party in the Parliament complex, which was also attended by a number of Opposition MPs, led by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

The Pekan MP was given a slate grey, three-tier vanilla cake, which featured a caricature of him, as well as the words "Thank You Sir Dato' Sri Najib Razak" written on the cake.

He was also gifted a commemorative video of his tenure as prime minister and his contribution to the nation, as well as to Umno and Barisan Nasional.

"That message touched my heart. It was an acknowledgement of everything the previous government has done, especially the national transformation programme, which has brought a lot of change to Malaysia especially on economic and social development.

"I hope the new government will fight for Malaysia's future and they do good by the rakyat, instead of simply blaming the previous government for everything," he said.

Najib added that Barisan had done its best for the people, and that Pakatan Harapan must now focus on fulfilling all their promises and administer the country well.

"The rakyat will still claim all the sweet-sounding promises made to them, and the new government must deliver those promises," he said.-Star