Husam claims RM90 million sent to PAS via local bank

© Provided by MToday News Sdn Bhdhusam-musa-pas-bendera-1PETALING JAYA: Former PAS vice-president Husam Musa has alleged that transactions totalling more than RM90 million were made to several PAS leaders through a local bank recently.

The Salor state assemblyman, who joined Amanah in August last year, claimed he had seen the source of the information and confirmed its accuracy and truth.

“A certain amount of money was channelled through the bank to several parties linked to the PAS leadership,” he said, adding that there were other transactions made through the same channel.

He called on PAS to investigate and legally pursue the matter by using the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989, saying the courts could order the bank to reveal the accounts and transactions involved.

The party could also set up a team to investigate the veracity of the allegation.

“The transactions that took place cannot be erased,” Husam, who was sacked by PAS in May last year, said in an online interview called ‘Terus Terang” (clear-cut).

He said PAS members and leaders had the locus standi to take PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli to court over his allegation in April that former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa had received funds related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

“Rafizi has made a statutory declaration that till today has not been challenged by Nasharudin Mat Isa or by other PAS leaders,” said Husam, who was appointed Amanah vice-president in April this year.

He said the PAS members had, however, not shown any interest to take action against Rafizi and demand that he proved his allegation in court.

He claimed there was a proposal in the party to sue him after he was quoted by an online portal as saying that money had been transacted via the bank, but the proposal had gone silent.

Husam added that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang needed to also demonstrate firmness on the matter and issue a comment.

He also said PAS had made a major and significant political shift of late in appearing to align itself with Umno.

“Previously, PAS was loud and resolute in its position that Umno was an enemy that should not be befriended and should be replaced.

“Now, suddenly, PAS has adopted a different approach,” he said, in reference to the apparent close ties Hadi and other leaders reportedly enjoyed with Umno under prime minister and party president Najib Razak over the last two years.

He said it should raise questions about whether the change happened because of “brainwashing” by the national civics bureau (BTN) over the threat posed by the DAP, the Chinese and other races, forcing PAS to set aside concerns on issues like 1MDB, Felda settlers and so on.

On Nov 4, Najib had brushed aside a reported claim that PAS received RM90 million from him, calling it “nonsense”.

Speaking to a gathering of Umno cyber-troopers, he had said the issue had been inflamed by the opposition to cast him in a negative light because they were feeling politically “nervous”.

It was reported on Oct 30 that Sarawak Report (SR) editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown had claimed in her defence statement to a lawsuit filed in London by Hadi that she and former Malaysian Bar chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan spoke about Najib, 1MDB and PAS in July 2016.

“Ambiga told the defendant that her sources, whom she said were reliable, had estimated the amount that had been paid was around RM90 million,” said Clare in her affidavit dated Oct 11.

Clare’s defence was made in response to Hadi’s defamation suit against her filed in April this year.

Hadi claimed he had been defamed in an SR article published on Aug 6, 2016. The article “reckoned” that money was given to woo PAS to support Barisan Nasional.