Ramkarpal: Will gov't look into Najib's alleged links to CIA letter?

PARLIAMENT | A Harapan lawmaker has questioned whether the government will investigate former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak (BN-Pekan) for any links to an official letter sent to the CIA seeking US support ahead of the May 9 general election.

Ramkarpal Singh (Harapan-Bukit Gelugor) said writing to the CIA to intervene in domestic affairs in Malaysia goes against Section 124B of the Penal Code.

"I want to raise the possibility that Pekan has committed a crime under Section 124B which is to perform acts detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

"If he intended to get the CIA to intervene in domestic affairs in Malaysia, that is an act detrimental to parliamentary democracy in Malaysia which could be punished up to 20 years.

"I want to ask the minister, will there be an investigation against (Najib) on this very serious matter?" Ramkarpal asked during his debate in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Earlier in his speech, he had brought up the claims that Najib was involved in the issues plaguing embattled state fund 1MDB.

These allegations had been published in international publications such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and The Economist, Ramkarpal said.

Even US attorney-general Jeff Sessions had called the 1MDB issue "kleptocracy at its worst", he added.

"These are terms which are very damaging to the country, but (Najib) has never answered these allegations.

"Is his refusal to answer these allegations which I brought up because (Najib) once asked for a favour from the CIA in the US?

"Is that the reason (Najib) remains silent on this very serious issue?" he said.

It was reported previously that the Research Division in the Prime Minister's Department, which is described as an intelligence unit, had penned an official letter to then-CIA director designate Gina Haspel five days before the May 9 election.

Hasanah Abdul Hamid, who is the division's director-general, had in the letter, asked for the US government to support Najib and his government after the 14th general election.

Ramkarpal claimed if Najib continues to stay silent on the allegations against him, it would show that Hasanah had written the letter upon his instructions.

However, Najib had reportedly said he did not instruct the Research Division to pen the letter, and claimed he had no knowledge about the letter.

'Please sit down'

When Ramkarpal alleged that Najib may have committed a crime under Section 124B, Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) interrupted him to say his remarks were mere allegations and assumptions.

Ramkarpal shot back and said Tajuddin was wasting not only his time but the time of the Dewan, upon which Tajuddin said it was Ramkarpal who was wasting the Dewan's time.

Tajuddin again interrupted Ramkarpal shortly after to tell him he should let the courts decide this matter.

"Which court is going to decide? He (Najib) hasn't even gone to court yet. Please sit down," Ramkarpal said.

When Tajuddin attempted to reply, this caused a swell of murmurs, with some other lawmakers attempting to join in the argument.

However, Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon proceeded to cut off the microphones of all the MPs, and warned Ramkarpal to abide by the Standing Orders.

Ramkarpal conceded to the speaker and continued on with his speech. - Mkini