Mahathir: Najib should be called to testify at RCI on forex losses

Former PM Mahathir Mohamad says Najib Razak was a member of the cabinet when Bank Negara Malaysia's foreign exhange losses occurred.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that with just three days left before the conclusion of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) 1990s foreign exchange (forex) losses, there remains one individual who should be called to testify.

“Prime Minister Najib Razak,” the former prime minister-turned-opposition leader said.

“Because he too was a member of the cabinet then.”

Najib is not on the RCI’s witness list, despite former finance minister Daim Zainuddin being on the list, Mahathir said. He did not offer a further explanation on this.

Mahathir was speaking to reporters at the Yayasan Al-Bukhary here today.

Earlier, he spent more than two hours with RCI-appointed police officers, giving his witness statement ahead of his scheduled appearance at the RCI hearing on Monday.

The questioning began at 4.20pm and ended at around 6.30pm. Mahathir said it took a long time because he had to review certain documents before giving his answers to questions put forward by the police.

“They treated me well though,” he said.

Asked if he was ready to testify at the RCI hearing next week, Mahathir said, “I have to be prepared.”

His counsel, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, told reporters earlier this week that he had accepted a subpoena on behalf of his client on Tuesday, and said that Mahathir was scheduled to appear before the commission at 11am Monday.

A total of 21 witnesses have so far testified in the RCI proceedings, with the last being former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was the deputy prime minister and finance minister at the time the forex losses took place.

The RCI proceedings will continue on Monday.

The RCI is tasked with getting to the bottom of the forex losses amounting to US$10 billion (about RM25 billion based on the exchange rate at the time) incurred by the central bank between 1991 and 1993.

The alleged losses took place during the Mahathir administration when Daim Zainuddin and Anwar were finance ministers. -FMT