Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar, who described himself as Najib Abdul Razak’s senior at Kajang prison, is also demanding answers from the government over an anonymous message claiming that the former premier has been accorded certain privileges.
Calling on the authorities to treat all prisoners in the same manner, he said: “I was imprisoned in Kajang myself. I am more senior than Najib in Kajang but I did not get any special treatment.”
Mahfuz (above) said the public must know the truth if the government is spending taxpayers’ money on the former premier, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption.
“The government must explain the real situation and status,” he told Malaysiakini this afternoon.
The Amanah leader said if the allegations are true, the government must explain the rationale for forking out more money for Najib when there is no guarantee that the nation would recover the losses incurred in relation to the SRC International and 1MDB scandals even after the former premier is released.
Mahfuz was commenting on the message making rounds on social media, which referred to Najib with the codename "merpati" (pigeon).
Among others, the message alleged that Najib’s prison cell has been renovated and there are plans to move him to the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital (CRH) to allow more access to visitors and VVIP facilities.
Be transparent
Mahfuz also urged the Prisons Department to be transparent and not to conceal information related to the allegations.
Failing which, the Pokok Sena MP pointed to former chief secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan, who testified in Najib’s RM2.28 billion corruption trial that he thought 1MDB was meant to provide political funding for BN.
“This means the civil service was hiding the truth. If Najib was not charged, I believe that nobody would have known about the real situation of 1MDB, SRC and others.
“The Prisons Department is only following orders from the top… But it should not repeat the same mistake. If there are court cases related to this issue later on, it will implicate the prison officers and taint the department’s image,” he added.
Earlier today, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli called on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin to comment on the allegations.
Najib, 69, began serving his sentence on Aug 23 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in the RM42 million SRC case.
Malaysiakini has reached out to the Home Ministry, Prisons Department and Najib's representatives for comment. - Mkini
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