Some of RM2.6 billion funded BN parties for GE13, says former MCA chief

Former MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek says part of the RM2.6 billion donated to the prime minister was given to BN component parties before GE13. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, October 31, 2015.

Some of the RM 2.6 billion purportedly received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as a political donation before the 13th general election was used to fund Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, which was an unprecedented move, said former MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek today.

In a Mandarin interview with Cari.com, which was later picked up by news portal Malaysiakini, Chua said in his experience, MCA never received funding from BN before until Najib disbursed the funds.

“I must admit, during the BN supreme council meeting approaching the May 5 general election, he (Najib) in his capacity as prime minister and BN chairman did reveal that in that election, BN will support its component parties’ finances," he was quoted as saying.

“I said that I have joined politics for more than 20 years and gone through five general elections, (we) have never received a single sen from BN before."

However, Chua said he did not know where the rest of the funds went.

“Of course, if there are some parts that were not used for the general election, no one knows," he said further.

“That is why we need to wait for the investigations to be completed,” he added.

In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that RM2.6 billion which ended up in Najib's accounts were from state-owned entities linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the investment firm which was Najib's brainchild.

Najib later said the monies were not from 1MDB but instead from a Middle Eastern benefactor.

Chua said that he told Najib that he still needed better support in the grassroots level.

“I told him you still have a lot of work to do, you need to convince people that the money that entered your account, in law, it is not wrong," he said.

“So long as the money did not come from the government or 1MDB, there is nothing wrong," he added.

Chua conceded that the people were not convinced by Najib's explanations as the sum was too big, and also said he was fortunate that these problems cropped up after he stepped down as MCA president.

“On the lack of confidence in him, I can understand it because in the May 5 general election, many people used Najib’s rock star image to promote (themselves),” he said.

“Now, I don’t think anyone wants to use Najib’s picture. This is the reality,” he added.

- TMI