Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should let go of the finance minister portfolio to facilitate a transparent and independent investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) finances, says DAP lawmaker Liew Chin Tong. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, March 7, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should step down as finance minister to facilitate a transparent and independent investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) finances, said a DAP lawmaker.
DAP national political education director Liew Chin Tong said the onus is now on the Cabinet to demand that Najib resign as finance minister to allow for a full and independent investigation into the controversial government-owned sovereign investment fund.
Najib chairs the 1MDB advisory board.
"I have repeatedly called for a full-time finance minister to steer the Malaysian economy forward in a time of crisis and a possible recession," he said, adding that Muhyiddin’s statement last night was sufficient ground for Najib's removal from the post.
Liew, since last year, had criticized Putrajaya's present practice of prime minister doubling as finance minister which he said "must end immediately" in the face of economic challenges ahead.
He said before that Malaysia will suffer under a "part-time" finance minister and insisted that only a competent full-time finance minister will be able to steer the country away from troubled waters.
Liew said this in light of the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's remark last night on the handling of investigations into 1MDB's accounts.
The DPM reportedly said that efforts to handle 1MDB's debts must not involve a bailout and that the Auditor-General must audit 1MDB's accounts in a transparent, independent and comprehensive manner.
He also said that the Public Accounts Committee can start investigating 1MDB without having to wait for the outcome of the Auditor-General’s findings.
Liew said today that Muhyiddin's major points were indicative of an impending challenge to Najib’s premiership.
On Wednesday, Najib ordered the Auditor-General to vet the debt-ridden 1MDB's accounts after the Cabinet was briefed about the government-owned company's finances and told that allegations against it were related to transactions by third parties such as PetroSaudi International.
In the same statement, Najib also said the Cabinet had expressed confidence that no wrongdoing had been committed within 1MDB.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.