Pua: Did Najib make empty promises to impress Trump?

Although the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has the prerogative to invest its funds overseas after due diligence, why does it have to be a hefty "three to four billion dollars" in the United States, asked a DAP lawmaker today. 

In a statement, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said this in response to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who had rubbished talks of political intervention in the investment decision for infrastructure development, stateside. 

"Since Datuk Seri Najib claimed that the decision was not 'made by politicians', we would like to ask him if the EPF investment committee has already made the decision to invest 'three to four billion dollars' to support infrastructure redevelopment in the United States?

"We are not questioning the right for EPF to invest overseas. It is EPF’s prerogative to invest a certain amount of funds overseas after the necessary analysis and due diligence has been carried out by the investment committee. However, as far as Malaysians are aware, there has been no such definitive resolution or commitment by the EPF to make the specified amount of investment," Pua said. 

If indeed the investment decision was not politically influenced, and if EPF has not decided to invest the specified amount in the US, it could only mean that Najib had boasted empty premises to US President Donald Trump, Pua added. 

Najib had in his recent speech at the Malaysia Day celebrations in Kota Kinabalu, said the investment decision involving EPF was not "made by politicians", but the retirement savings fund's own investment committee. 

The premier had also then dubbed critics who panned the move as "shallow, not that smart". 

Pua then questioned why Malaysia has to resort to taking hefty loans from China to build our own infrastructure, namely the East Coast Rail Link, but can contribute to "make America great again". 

According to him, Najib went out of his way to impress Trump in hopes that the US government will "go easy" on the money-laundering probe being conducted by the US' Department of Justice against the 1MDB. 

Pua then called upon both EPF and Khazanah Nasional, which Najib also promised, would invest in the US, to maintain independent financial discipline and steer clear of political pressure and interference, in making their respective investments. 

"This is to ensure that the life savings of Malaysian workers and the assets of the Malaysian people will remain safe and secure, protected for generations to come." - Mkini