Stupid, Says Dr Mahathir, On Najib’s 1MDB Debt Remarks

 

(Malaysia Now) – Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today slammed remarks by Najib Razak in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that the repayment of the 1MDB debt did not involve the people’s money.

He said Najib, who has been convicted and sentenced in the SRC International case, had lost all shame in making such a statement.

“He said the debt need not be paid – how stupid. Is there such a thing as a debt that doesn’t need to be paid? But that’s how Najib is,” Mahathir said while campaigning for the Johor election at Felda Ayer Hitam in Machap.

Mahathir’s comments follow those of Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz who also disputed Najib’s statement today.

According to Zafrul, Malaysia has already begun to pay interest on the 1MDB debt.

Zafrul also said that 1MDB’s debt was valued at RM38.8 billion, comprising RM32.3 billion in principal debt and RM6.5 billion in interest.

Najib yesterday claimed that not a single sen of the people’s money had been used to pay 1MDB’s debts.

The former leader, who was found guilty in 2020 of money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust involving RM42 million in SRC International funds, has become the focus of Mahathir’s campaign for the upcoming Johor election.

Mahathir had previously urged voters in Johor to reject Najib and his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

In a series of open letters, he said any success in changing the state government could become a stepping stone to changing the federal government as well at the next general election.