Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak (above) have offered conflicting accounts as to when an application was made by the latter over his entitlement to a piece of property.
The matter was raised by Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Parliament yesterday when Tengku Zafrul was winding-up the Budget 2022. Mahathir had demanded to know why property - allegedly worth RM100 million - was not listed in Budget 2022.
Tengku Zafrul explained that this was because the application from Najib only surfaced after the Budget 2022 speech was presented. That speech was delivered on Oct 29.
Following this, Najib took to Facebook to explain himself, claiming that his application was made in 2018, after the 14th general election which took place on May 9.
To back his claims to his entitlement, Najib posted a photograph of a document, signed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong back in May 2003, referring to a cabinet decision that former prime ministers are to be offered a "government house" befitting their stature.
The cabinet decision was made five months before Mahathir retired from his first tenure as prime minister.
Najib also claimed that the matter was being raised now to tarnish BN's reputation ahead of the Malacca State Legislative Assembly election tomorrow.
Mahathir had argued that Najib was a convict who has been sentenced to 12 years' jail and fined more than RM200 million.
"Is this the contribution which this government wants show gratitude for?" asked Mahathir, who suggested that the property which the government was to gift Najib should look like a prison.
Under pressure from opposition MPs, Zafrul stressed repeatedly to the Dewan Rakyat that the cabinet has discussed Najib's application, but the process to award Najib his entitlement was not finalised.
Therefore, Zafrul said, that sum would not appear in Budget 2022.
"This application came after Budget 2022 was tabled. Therefore, it is not part of the federal expenditure estimate for 2022.
"The matter will be included in a supplementary supply bill," he added.
This caused an uproar on the opposition bench, with many MPs demanding to know the justifications for cabinet to even consider Najib's application.
On several occasions, Zafrul urged MPs to direct such questions to the prime minister, who oversees entitlements for former prime ministers.
Najib has been convicted for allegedly pocketing RM42 million originating from the Finance Ministry-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd when he was in power. He was sentenced to jail for 12 years and fined RM210 million. He is appealing this decision.
Najib is also facing trial in relation to RM2.6 billion in 1MDB funds found in his bank accounts. He is also facing trial for allegedly tampering with 1MDB's audit report. - Mkini
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