After MACC statement, Rafizi wants special independent prosecutor

PKR's Rafizi Ramli wants Parliament to appoint a special independent prosecutor to re-open the cases against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and to act on an appeal if filed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"I will have to check the legality of this and the parliamentary rules, since this has never been done. But I intend to bring this matter up all the way to the next sitting in March," he vowed.

The PKR deputy president was responding to MACC special operations director Mohd Bahri Zin, who said the commission would most likely appeal against the decision to close the cases, which he described as being "straightforward".

Zooming into the SRC International case, Rafizi said the firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finance Ministry, which the prime minister helms.

"I have been asking for disclosure on the SRC officials who approved the transfer, because ultimately the line of authority would go back to Najib as he is the finance minister.

"As a finance minister, Najib would have known of the authorisation to transfer the RM42 million. Either way there is a strong case to charge him with criminal breach of trust.

"If he was aware or sanctioned SRC to transfer the money to his account, he should be charged for CBT

"If he was not aware as he claimed, as the highest authority responsible for SRC, he should be charged with negligence of duty that led to SRC losing that much money," he added.

'A strong case to charge Najib'

Therefore, Rafizi said, he was not surprised by the MACC director's statement that the cases were straightforward.

"That's why I think Bahri's comments reflect the logical conclusion that should have been arrived by anyone - there is a strong case to charge Najib

"I am concerned that AG would stonewall so MACC's appeal would go no where," he said.

The Pandan MP also stressed that Najib would be mistaken to think the attorney-general's announcement would put a lid on the matter.

"MPs and the people should continue to push any available means until we get to the bottom of this," he said.

Yesterday, attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali said Najib had no knowledge, nor was he informed about the RM42 million from SRC that was transferred into his personal bank accounts.

The prime minister has repeatedly denied abusing public funds for personal gain and blamed the corruption allegations on those attempting to topple him. -Mkini