‘THOSE WHO DON’T SPEAK UP ON NAJIB BEING CALLED A THIEF MEANS THEY WANT TO DESTROY HIM’: RAIS YATIM WARNS ‘NON-THINKING’ UMNO WILL LOSE IF MEMBERS DON’T SEEK THE TRUTH

Not speaking up on 1MDB is tantamount to destroying Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, former information minister Rais Yatim told the current cabinet line-up.

“Say the prime minister is being insulted by economists writing that he is a thief, I would not leave that alone.

“If we are quiet, say if all ministers say don’t raise (the issue), this means that you want to destroy the prime minister,” Rais said in an interview with Sinar Harian.

He said this when asked if the 1MDB scandal would lead to BN’s defeat in the upcoming general election.

It is unclear which economist Rais was speaking of, but on March 8 the weekly magazine Economist featured an article titled “Stop, thief! Malaysia’s PM is about to steal an election”.

The next day, American television host Rachel Maddow of MSNBC also called Najib  a “thief” with regard to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) suits on 1MDB.

Rais said it was Umno’s loss when no one sought the truth, and that the current party leadership was no longer thinking.

He said he had a different perspective on the matter, and believed that investigations should be conducted on the scandal.

“I believe that when you announce that investigations are underway, the issue will die down. The prime minister will get space, and will not be seen as (he is portrayed) by economists because he is willing to be investigated,” he said.

He said he had informed Najib (photo) and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of his opinions.

The MACC had previously launched two investigations into 1MDB-linked cases, namely the RM2.6 billion donation, and the RM42 million SRC International transfer into Najib’s personal accounts.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali had in January 2016 cleared Najib of any wrongdoing in either scandal.

Rais had earlier this month, called for a probe into the ownership of mega-yacht the Equanimity, which the DOJ claimed was bought by businessperson Jho Low using allegedly misappropriated 1MDB funds.

1MDB has denied that any of its funds have been misappropriated, while inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun says there is nothing to link Low with 1MDB.

MKINI