It'll take till doomsday to answer Rafizi, says defence minister

Answering PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's "political spins" and allegations on the armed forces fund (LTAT) and its supposed links to 1MDB would take forever, lamented Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

"It will not do for the LTAT to answer Rafizi every week. Each time it answers, the goalposts are moved. Until doomsday it won't end," he told reporters after attending a Defence Ministry awards ceremony at Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur.

Hishammuddin also refuted Rafizi's claim that there was conflict of interest in the appointment of 1MDB chairperson Lodin Wok Kamaruddin as LTAT executive director.

"What is wrong with him (Lodin) holding the post, is there an infraction of any law?" he asked.

Hishammuddin also urged Rafizi to bring whatever proof he had to the courts if it was true that LTAT was involved in the 1MDB scandal.

"If there is wrongdoing, bring it forward so that everything is clear. Take it to the courts, and once there, let the courts decide," he said

Conflict of interest

Rafizi who is also PKR secretary-general, had today called for Lodin's resignation as LTAT executive director due to the alleged late payment of some RM396.41 million to the armed forces fund's subsidiary, Perbadanan Perwira Harta Malaysia (PPHM).

The Pandan MP alleged that there was conflict of interest as at the time, Lodin was also 1MDB chairperson.

He also claimed that he has in his possession, government documents linking 1MDB to LTAT.

However before disclosing the document, Rafizi said that he wants LTAT to confess how many armed forces retirees had not been paid their dues since 2014.

If it refuses to do so, Rafizi said that he would reveal the document and its contents even though it is protected under the Official Secrets Act.

Rafizi has been alleging that PPHM is currently facing financial difficulties after supposed late payments from 1MDB for the Sungai Besi air base relocation and refurbishment projects.

PPHM, alleged Rafizi, has been forced to dip into LTAT funds to pay its contractors thus leading to armed forces retirees missing out on the repayment of their contributions, as the fund had to defer the payments to help out its subsidiary.

LTAT has denied all this and stressed that it has received all payments outstanding from 1MDB and all its payments to armed forces retirees are up to date.

Unwanted distraction

Meanwhile when asked to respond to the misfeasance suit filed by ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Hishammuddin said that the government shouldn't entertain it as it is an unwanted distraction.

"There has been many actions taken by others against our leadership and the government. What is important for me at the ministry is that we should look to the future. If we continue to entertain these kind of things we will not be able to do our jobs," said Hishammuddin.

Yesterday, lawyers representing Mahathir and two others filed a suit against Najib for alleged ‘tort of misfeasance in public office’ and ‘tort of breach of fiduciaries in public office’.

The other two plaintiffs are former Langkawi Umno women's wing member Anina Saadudin and ex-Batu Kawan Umno vice chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan. -Mkini