LIKE ANWAR, THE MORE NAJIB OPENS HIS MOUTH THE WORSE TROUBLE HE GETS INTO: WHO SAYS GIFTS ARE NOT ILLEGAL – RM2.6 BILLION IS WAY OUTSIDE THE LIMIT!

In fact, there are strict rules governing gifts to ruling political figures, for obvious and very good reasons.

For a light hearted reminder of those reasons view the funny BBC episode of Yes Minister – The Moral Dimension, covering the antics of the UK spoof minister, Jim Hacker in an un-named Middle Eastern state.

It makes clear that the limit on a gift should be a paltry value of around RM250 (although Hacker’s aide turns a blind eye with disastrous result, thanks to an investigative journalist, who gets on the case).

Certainly, gifts of RM2.6 billion fall outside the limit. Likewise, the hoard of treasures accumulated by his appalling wife.

Najib may dismiss the matter as ‘trivial’, but unless he is still appointing judges, he is unlikely to find a sympathetic ear in court and would save everyone a lot of time, trouble and expense – quite apart from the continuing international embarrassment – by just pleading guilty and shutting up!

Najib maintains seized items mainly gifts, says police valuation subjective

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak said the valuation of the items, particularly jewellery, seized from residences linked to him are subjective and unrealistic.

“It depends on the source of the stones, it depends when they were gifted or when they were purchased. Valuation can tend to differ.

“So let us not get too excited about it. Let us look at the items, every single item, and we hope to have a chance to examine these items.

“And (then) we can come to a conclusion on the source of the items and get an explanation on the items seized by the police,” he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview at the news portal’s office in Petaling Jaya this afternoon.

Najib said like any husband, he was not aware of the extent of his wife Rosmah Mansor’s collection of jewellery and other items.

Furthermore, the former premier said he was not provided with the full and detailed list of the items seized during the raids since last month.

According to the former premier, he was furnished with an incomplete list with vague descriptions and without photographs of the seized items.

“But what I do know is that over the years as head of the government, we have been gifted with a lot of items by foreign leaders as well as personal friends, and I do know that under the law it is not illegal to receive gifts. These gifts were accumulated over decades,” he said.

“For example, (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) admitted to receiving 40 horses from his friends and foreign leaders, and he openly uses a lot of corporate jets from his friends, so it is not illegal to receive gifts,” he added.

Najib was the former menteri besar of Pahang 36 years ago, and later held various ministerial portfolios. He served as deputy prime minister for five years and prime minister for nine years.

‘Rosmah was surprised’

Asked if he had discussed with his wife regarding the police’s latest disclosure this morning, Najib said Rosmah herself was surprised about the number of items mentioned.

“I think the valuation… She doesn’t believe it will come up to that amount. And also some items, the jewellers have got records that they were sent for viewing and to be returned. So we need to identify these items and return them,” he added.

Najib said a sizeable amount of the jewellery seized do not legally belong to Rosmah. Some belonged to their daughter Nooryana Najwa, her husband and mother-in-law.

He also claimed that the jewellers who had sent the items for viewing have now written in to legally claim back their items.

“But let us not jump to any conclusions at this stage. Let us examine the items individually,” he added.

Najib said once the list of items seized is examined, there are other factors which must be established.

“We need to know the dates of the gifts, like jewellery items.

“As you know, prices of stones acquired or gifted 20 years ago are much less than they were paid, because the price of stones have increased significantly, so it depends on what valuation and when the valuation was made,” he added.

Asked if it was ethical for someone in his position to accept valuable gifts, Najib said former US president Barack Obama’s wife Michelle received millions from the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“And when King Salman visited Indonesia recently, he also gave millions worth of gifts. So some of these monarchs in certain countries, it’s part of their culture to give costly items.

“For example, items given to me by these monarchs, I have not used them. I have kept them because I don’t use very expensive things as my friends know. I don’t use any watches that contain valuable stones,” he added.

Pressed on his statement that it is not illegal to receive the gifts, Najib replied: “If the gifts are given to you by other heads of state, like on occasions like your birthday and not expecting anything in return, it is not illegal.

“Mahathir said on record he received 40 horses from his friends. I am sure there are other gifts he received as well throughout his career.”

When he was in power, Najib and his family were said to have enjoyed a close relationship with several Middle Eastern countries’ royal families, including the former and current kings of Saudi Arabia.

Najib reminded that he was particularly close to the late King Abdullah, who had bestowed him with Saudi Arabia’s highest honour normally reserved for the nation’s closest allies which include former US president Barrack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The former premier said he had planned to include these gifts in his galleria at some point of time and noted that one of Mahathir’s museums in Langkawi had 9,000 items.

“That was my intention. You know, put them in an exhibit because really those things… I have never used.

“I know some expensive rings were given, but I have never used them because I know they were expensive, and I know as a leader I shouldn’t use them and they will not be used, and they will be part of the galleria one day that will be shown,” he added.

‘Mahathir’s aide collected RM10 million in cash from me’

Meanwhile, Najib also responded to the RM116 million in cash recovered during the raid, which the former premier had claimed earlier to be for election expenses.

When pointed out the amount was recovered after the election, Najib said: “You will not know how much it (an election campaign) costs exactly. And you will not know as well how much people will contribute to you.”

“It is impossible to have a clean zero balance so to speak. In any case, when you fight an election, you have to spend pre-election, during election and post-election. Don’t forget I was president of the party of Umno and BN with 13 component parties.

“Running a major party with three million members like Umno is an expensive affair. And again, it is on record, when Mahathir resigned, he handed over RM1.4 billion to (his successor) Abdullah (Ahmad) Badawi in assets and cash. That is on record. So when you consider the context, it is a fraction of the amount,” he added.

When told that Mahathir did not hand over RM1.4 billion in cash, Najib said: “Yeah, there was some cash, but during election time, you don’t transact using the banking system because money is required immediately by the party.”

However, the former premier said some of the cash belonged to him when asked about the RM116 million being found in 26 different currencies.

“There were some of my own because I have been travelling for over 30 years. but there were also contributions in foreign currency, some people rather contribute in foreign currency,” he added.

On the reason for the cash being kept at Pavilion Residences, Najib explained that things were done in haste following the election result.

“Because it all happened in a hurry, you see. We had to vacate within two hours the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) and Sri Perdana. Mind you, in PMO, there is a strongroom built by my predecessor and also at Seri Perdana, there is a strongroom, so that was designed.

“The intention is quite clear. They know when you fight an election, you also have to maintain cash. The opposition knows it as well. They also maintain cash.

“I know it is not something that is known in the public realm, but it is not peculiar. It has happened in the past and until we change the rules and the law in terms of election funding, this will continue,” he added.

Najib said Mahathir knew this well as he had practised the same in the past when he was Umno president.

The former premier also alleged that “one of Mahathir’s people” had collected RM10 million in cash from him for the 13th general election.

Describing him as one of Mahathir’s “trusted aides”, he said the money was collected from his residence in Jalan Duta.

Although Najib revealed the name of this person, who is a well-known swimmer, Malaysiakini is withholding his identity pending his response.

Malaysiakini is also contacting Mahathir’s aides for comment.

‘Then opposition rejected transparency in election funding’

Earlier, Najib also recalled how he wanted election funding to be more transparent when asked why he did not declare the gifts received.

“We have no system in this country for that (declaring gifts).

“I actually suggested in 2010 that there should be, when it came to donations, that we should have a system of transparency and we should record the donations to some independent body. I had that specific proposal, but at that time, it was rejected by the opposition who are now part of the government.

“They rejected it, I suspect it was because they wanted anonymity because if people who donate to them had their identities known then that would be to their disadvantage. But it is on record that I actually suggested it and I remember talking to Pemandu, Idris Jala.

“I also spoke to the then chief of MACC Abu Kassim (Mohamed) and he liked the idea. We brought it forward, but it was rejected by the opposition so that is why it didn’t go through.

“Had it gone through, the election funding in this country would be handled in a much more transparent way. But if I were to do it for BN but not for them, then we would be at a disadvantage.

“So the whole proposal… which is on record, we actually initiated the move for much more transparent, and accountable manner for political donation,” he added.

At a press conference this morning, federal commercial crimes director Amar Singh said the estimated retail value of the items seized was close to RM1 billion.

In listing the items, which included jewellery, handbags and luxury watches, he placed their total value at RM686.37 million.

However, Amar said the market retail value could be between RM910 million and RM1.1 billion. – M’kini

– SARAWAK REPORT