It has nothing to do with you, Najib tells Ling of his RM2.6 billion

Datuk Seri Najib Razak tells his former Cabinet colleague Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik to stay away from the RM2.6 billion 'donation' because it was a personal contribution to him. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 22, 2016.

The RM2.6 billion contribution by an unidentified donor from the Middle East was a personal donation and Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik cannot use it as a defence, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his defamation suit against the former MCA president.

In documents sighted by The Malaysian Insider, the Umno president said there was no issue of him violating the party constitution and its financial statements for 2013 and 2014, as the money was a personal donation.

Najib had repeatedly said the money was held in trust for Umno.

"Any usage (of the donation) is a matter between the plaintiff (Najib) and the party and has nothing to do with the defendant (Dr Ling)," the prime minister said in reply to Dr Ling's defence and counterclaim in the suit filed last October.

In the statement filed on January 12, Najib said Dr Ling, who was once his Cabinet colleague, had no legal basis to raise the matter in his defence.

Dr Ling had said the prime minister was unfit to lead Malaysia after receiving the RM2.6 billion donation and RM42 million from the Finance Ministry-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1MDB subsidiary.

The former transport minister had said if the RM2.6 billion was indeed a donation, the money could only be meant for his party.

Dr Ling said Najib had breached Articles 26.2 and 27.2 of the Umno constitution as the donation should have either been kept in a commercial bank or held by the trustee of the party.

He said Umno's financial statements for 2013 and 2014 also did not state the purported donation of RM2.6 billion.

"This creates a serious doubt as to whether the US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was in fact a donation to the party," he said.

The alleged donation was made in March 2013, just two months before the 13th general election.

"By channelling the RM2.6 billion into his own personal bank account, at the very least, the plaintiff created a public perception that he was not honest and transparent or was involved in money politics to buy the election," Dr Ling said.

He said Najib only admitted to receiving the money after the exposes published in The Wall Street Journal and Sarawak Report in July last year.

"This constituted a period of silence on the part of Najib for more than two years.

"The defendant (Dr Ling) can only surmise that the plaintiff (Najib) would not have revealed this purported donation but for the exposes and the ensuing public outcry," he said in the defence and counterclaim filed on December 14.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last August said the RM2.6 billion donation made to Najib's private account was to thank Malaysia for its fight against terrorism.

"When I asked (the donor’s representatives) why Umno needed help... they said because Malaysia is very committed to combating terrorism," the deputy prime minister had said.

Kuantan Umno division chief Wan Adnan Wan Mamat reportedly said the same thing at his divisional meeting.

"It was an appreciation to Malaysia for championing Islam and for practising Sunni Islam," he told Malay-language daily Sinar Harian.

Wan Adnan also reportedly said Najib had mentioned this during a meeting with 146 Umno division leaders in early August.

Najib’s supporters in Umno have attempted to play down the controversy. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the funds were not a big issue, while Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor described it as "normal" for party presidents to hold funds in trust.

On December 31, the Kuala Lumpur High Court struck out a suit by former Umno member Anina Saaduddin, who wanted Najib to account for the RM2.6 billion to party members.

The court said Anina had no locus standi because she was no longer an Umno member.

Najib has come under intense scrutiny after revelations on the money.

Politicians from both sides of the divide have criticised Najib, including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has repeatedly called for his resignation.

- TMI