DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has criticised attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali’s classification of the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s latest suit against 1MDB as being “politically motivated”, calling Apandi “the most political attorney-general”, for allegedly usurping the powers of the cabinet.
“The decision whether the US, or any other country, has been 'politically motivated' in taking action, whether legal or otherwise, which is prejudicial to the national interests, should be made by the cabinet and not by the attorney-general.
“Apandi has (thus) exceeded his powers and jurisdiction as attorney-general, and usurped the powers of the cabinet, and, in particular, that of the foreign minister,” Lim said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Apandi described the DOJ suit as "political in nature" because he believed the DOJ based its actions on information provided by a “handful of Malaysians”, rather than by his ministry.
Lim (photo) said this is despite former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman, the nation’s longest-serving, coming forth to explain that the DOJ was under no obligation to consult Malaysian authorities because its investigations are confined to its jurisdiction - the US.
He also pointed out how Apandi had refused to work with the Swiss attorney-general when the latter asked for cooperation to investigate a former 1MDB subsidiary - SRC International.
The Gelang Patah MP’s response followed that of Amanah Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, who yesterday questioned the numerous claims made by BN and Umno politicians that the DOJ suit was a US conspiracy to intervene in domestic affairs.
'PO1 claim desperate and baseless'
In a separate statement, Lim also responded to the call by the prime minister’s press secretary, Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, yesterday for him to urge his son Lim Guan Eng to step down as Penang chief minister, calling the latter “Penang Official 1”.
“The statement issued last night returned to baseless, ridiculous and even outrageous personal attacks on me. (It is) the latest proof of the desperate straits of the highly-expensive Umno/BN strategic communications machinery, which completely went haywire,” he said.
Lim pointed out how this “machinery” had failed to “insulate” the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, from the latest DOJ suit.
“All these carefully orchestrated plans to insulate Rosmah from the 'gathering storm' from the third series of DOJ suits were destroyed by none other than the director of BN strategic communications Abdul Rahman Dahlan himself, who... opened up public questioning on the recipient of Jho Low’s gift from stolen 1MDB funds for the US$27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace after Rahman’s second admission that 'the wife of MO1' is Rosmah,” Lim's statement adds.
Rahman, in an interview with the British media network BBC last September, had identified Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as “Malaysian Official 1”. - Mkini
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