Two months left for Najib to settle 1MDB controversy, says Tuan Ibrahim

PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's silence over 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) is giving rise to talk that he is behaving irresponsibly. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 12, 2015. 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should resign as finance minister if he fails to settle the controversy surrounding state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) by December, PAS said today.

Its deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said Najib had promised in June that the issues concerning the debt-laden firm would be settled in six months.

He added that the prime minister's silence over the advice of Bank Negara Malaysia and the statement by the rulers on 1MDB was deafening, and gave rise to talk that he was behaving irresponsibly.

Tuan Ibrahim said as a sign of respect to the rulers, Najib should have pledged his cooperation to the central bank and mandated the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to prosecute 1MDB officials as advised by authorities investigating the state investor.

"And if the problems in 1MDB is not settled in two months, the prime minister should pledge to vacate his position as finance minister.

"That is the responsible thing to do rather than to remain silent," he said.

Tuan Ibrahim also expressed concern over Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who had previously been attacked by pro-Umno blogs, saying he feared that the attacks would be revived after the central bank revoked the permissions given to the state investor for its US$1.83 billion investments abroad and ordering 1MDB to repatriate the monies back to Malaysia.

"Will the bold move by Bank Negara Malaysia to act by revoking the permissions given under the Exchange Control Act 1953 (ECA) and the findings by the AGC that there was no wrongdoing by officials in 1MDB revive the attacks on Tan Sri Zeti?" Tuan Ibrahim said.

Bank Negara had recommended to the attorney-general (A-G) that criminal prosecution be initiated against 1MDB for breaches under the ECA, adding that the decision lay solely with the A-G.

The statement came a day after the AGC said it had reviewed the report of a central bank investigation into 1MDB and decided that fund officials had not committed any offence.

However, in response to the central bank's order for it to repatriate the funds, 1MDB said it had already used the US$1.83 billion it invested abroad to reduce its debts.

- TMI