CM Malacca: BN spent more than RM1.5b, but not necessarily from RM2.6b

Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron has confirmed that BN spent more than RM1.5 billion for the 13th general election.

However, he said, the amount did not necessarily come from the RM2.6 billion political donation transferred into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s personal bank accounts.

He was responding to former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir who claimed Najib revealed BN spent RM1.5 billion for the last general election during a meeting with Umno liaison chiefs.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Idris said it was clear to him, during the meeting, that more than RM1.5 billion was spent during the last general election.

"(But) I don't remember any statement from the prime minister saying the RM1.5 billion (was) from the RM2.6 billion donation.

"He didn't say that out of the RM2.6 billion, RM1.5 bilion was spent. I don't think so.

"It's up to anyone to think whether it's from the RM2.6 billion donation or from other sources," he added.

According to a video uploaded by blogger Din Turtle, Mukhriz had questioned how Najib could return RM2.03 billion of the RM2.6 billion if RM1.5 billion was spent on the election.

Commenting further, Idris, who is also the Malacca Umno liaison chief, believes that Mukhriz probably did not digest the information clearly.

Although he does not remember when and where the meeting was held, he said that Najib stated how all political parties needed to spend money for elections.

"But no party has declared how much they have spent. DAP and PKR have never declared how much they have spent to sustain Penang and Selangor.

"But definitely, PKR spent more than BN in Selangor and DAP more than BN in Penang; that's why they won the election," he said.

Also discussed at the meeting, he added, was how money was received by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad through donations which was then inherited by his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and subsequently Najib.

"But nobody knows where Mahathir got the money (from), nobody knows that he had also collected money.

"Even Muhyiddin (Yassin), as deputy president, must have received donations. Why didn't he declare then, and say how much he had received.

"We point fingers at others, but we forget the rest of the fingers are pointing at us," he added.

The RM2.6 billion was said to be a political donation from the Saudi royal family ahead of the last general election.

Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali, in clearing the prime minister of any wrongdoing, said that RM2.03 billion was later returned to the donor.

Meanwhile, pro-Umno portal MyKMU.net said that Muhkriz was either "stupid or playing dumb" in this issue.

"Of course funds for elections do not come from only one account and from the Umno president only," the portal pointed out.

Umno, said the portal, has no choice but to expel Mukhriz from the party for revealing discussion made in secret. -Mkini