Allegations against PM's aide 'nonsense'

A source close to Zakiah Ibrahim, the private secretary to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, has described the corruption allegations against her as baseless.

Calling it “nonsense”, the source, who declined to be named, said the allegations were concocted by those envious of Zakiah's position.

"She (Zakiah) also has an idea who it might be but she has decided to let it go. Her attitude right now is 'biarlah' (let it be) and she does not feel the need to respond to the media now.

"This is because the prime minister and her friends trust her, and I think that's all that matters to her," said the source.

He added that the allegation that Zakiah had engaged in "direct negotiations" with companies was unfounded.

"In her department, there are a lot of offers of rewards for approving contracts, but they are not entertained, the projects are also not approved," said the source, who also dismissed the claim of Zakiah being able to call up ministers to "share the wealth".

The source also rubbished the theory that Zakiah's modus operandi was to switch the proposals of companies to her cronies' companies.

"Every proposal has its own page and seals. Its not as easy as was said to just 'change' a proposal just like that,” he added.

The source said while it was true that some of the names mentioned by the so-called informant was Zakiah's friends, the latter however did not deal with any of their projects.

'RM5 million mansion not true'

On the allegation that Zakiah owned a RM5 million "mansion", the source said that as far as he knew, Zakiah's home only cost a few hundred thousand.

"Photographs of the house were not even taken at a proper angle, why not snap from the middle?" he asked.

As for Zakiah's office being just next to Najib's, the source said:" Well of course you have to be close to the minister of finance for whom you are the private secretary, right? To speculate from that fact is absurd.”

The source said that Zakiah, who is currently on leave, had wanted to retire early but her services were retained because she excelled at her work.

Early this month, FMT reported that an informant had accused Zakiah of misappropriating funds and accumulating some RM200 million. The allegations were made in a set of documents purportedly leaked by an insider.

The documents described Zakiah as “a woman with immense influence in the Prime Minister's Office” and alleged that her modus operandi was to switch proposals made by other companies with those of her own cronies and to share the wealth acquired with Umno division heads or members of the royalty.

The matter was highlighted by PKR leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or Chegubard, who received the same information from the source calling himself "Deep Throat JPM".

“Deep Throat JPM” also sent a second e-mail with photos of a "RM5 million" home purportedly belonging to Zakiah and claimed that he had more exposures to come. - FMT