Umno president Najib Abdul Razak has returned most, if not all, of the so-called RM2.6 billion donation he received in 2013, the BN strategic communications (BNSC) team claimed today.
BNSC said former international trade and industry minister Rafidah Aziz was correct in pointing out in her open letter, published on Facebook today, that the US$681 million transferred to Najib's personal accounts as a donation before the 2013 general election was worth RM2.077 billion.
This figure was based on that year's exchange rate, whereas the figure of RM2.6 billion was based on the exchange rate in 2015, when the transfer was first exposed by the Wall Street Journal.
BNSC also said that Rafidah was correct that US$620 million from the transferred funds had been returned back to its donor in Aug 2013.
"However, where Rafidah had made a gross mistake was to assume that the ringgit's exchange rate had remained unchanged from March 2013 to Aug 2013.
"Rafidah (photo below) had made an entirely fake accusation that US$61 million had been retained in the prime minister's account and hence subject to income tax," the BNSC said in a statement today.
The team calculated that based on the Aug 2013 exchange rate of RM3.30 to one US dollar, the US$620 million returned was worth RM2.046 billion.
"Therefore an estimated RM2.077 billion was transferred in and RM2.046 billion was then returned.
"(Minus) bank and forex fees, this means that the majority – if not the whole amount – has been returned," it said.
Najib has maintained that the donation came from a member of the Saudi royal family, and that the monies were necessary to fund Umno's machinery.
Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali had also cleared Najib of any wrongdoing in the donation scandal.
The US Department of Justice, however, paints a different image of the donation.
According to its civil forfeiture suits, US$681 million was allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB, and transfered to the accounts of 'Malaysian Official 1'.
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who heads BNSC, has said that MO1 is Najib.
The DOJ also claimed that the US$620 million returned by MO1 ended up in accounts controlled by 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
A portion of the returned funds were subsequently used to purchase jewellery, including a 22-carat pink diamond pendant and necklace, for the wife of MO1.
An extensive and in-depth guide on the money trail of allegedly stolen 1MDB funds can be read here. - Mkini
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