MCA Youth: 'Serious questions' in charges against Najib as Zeti probe incomplete

 

MCA Youth said there are "serious questions" in the criminal charges brought against ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak over the 1MDB scandal.

It said this was because the charges were filed before investigations into the involvement of ex-Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz's family in the same scandal was completed.

"Questions would also be asked if the crime of concealment of evidence had occurred since information of Zeti's family being paid (tens) of millions of ringgit by Jho Low was also similarly not provided to the courts for the use of Najib's lawyers for his defence.

"The fact that Najib was charged first before investigations into Zeti were ever completed also raises serious questions as she was listed as a key prosecution witness in both his SRC International and 1MDB trials.

"Everyone deserves a fair trial and the prosecution withholding this key piece of information may appear to have violated this principle," it said in a statement today.

Jho Low, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, is a fugitive and a key player in the alleged theft of 1MDB funds.

On Thursday, former attorney-general Tommy Thomas said the investigation of the involvement of Zeti's family had yet to be completed during his tenure.

"At that stage, the MACC's investigation paper had not been completed on Zeti and others. I never had the chance to look at those investigation papers.

"What I would say is, if the investigation papers were completed and if there was a strong and convincing case, the public prosecutor would do the necessary.

"If a former prime minister or former deputy prime minister is not immune from prosecution, certainly a former central bank governor is not," Tommy said.

The 1MDB charges were brought against Najib in 2018.

However, MCA Youth said the Pakatan Harapan federal government at the time must explain why the investigation against Zeti was not made public.

"Zeti was made a member of the (Harapan) government's Council of Eminent Persons and also appointed the Chairperson of Permodalan Nasional Berhad overseeing RM400 billion of public funds despite the Harapan government already being aware of the said matter.

"Therefore, former MACC head Latheefa Koya and the police must explain the long delay in these investigations - especially since the Singapore police had already taken action as early as the year 2019," said the party wing.

On Nov 19, the MACC announced that Singapore had repatriated to Malaysia US$15.4 million (RM65.3 million) in 1MDB-linked funds that involved a company co-owned by Tawfiq Ayman, Zeti's husband.

Previously it was reported that Singapore had alerted Bank Negara about suspicious transactions from fugitive businessperson Jho Low to a company owned by Tawfiq when Zeti was still heading the central bank.

According to The Edge, the transfers totalling US$16.22 million took place in 2008 and 2009 and were flagged to Bank Negara in 2015 and 2016 when Singapore began investigating 1MDB-linked transfers. - Mkini