The public, he warned Najib in his latest blog posting, have a right to the full details on the so-called donation. “The public does not believe that the RM2.6 billion was a gift personally to the Prime Minister of Malaysia for him to win elections.”
Malaysians would not like to believe their candidate for the highest office in the country was a nominee of some person from another country, he pointed out. “What will be his obligation to his supporters? Will he serve Malaysians or some foreign country?
“Stop thinking that Malaysians are stupid.”
If Najib was serious about investigating his RM2.6 billion in Ambank, he added, he should reinstate the original special Task Force investigating the issue. “A new Task Force filled with his people has no credibility.”
Banks have to maintain banking secrecy, said Mahathir. “But banks are also required to report suspected money laundering. Malaysian banks, Singapore banks, Swiss banks and American banks must not keep secret their business with money suspected of being stolen.”
“What have they done?”
When stolen money is put through banks, charged Mahathir, the objective was to make it legal, to launder it. “Yet the money has disappeared from AmBank because the account was closed.”
When the account is closed, he continued, it cannot mean that the huge amount of money was taken out in cash. “It must have been transferred to another bank. Yet we don’t hear of any bank anywhere reporting this money is with them.”
Two accounts are reported to have been frozen in Singapore, said Mahathir. “Is that all?”
Surely the holder of the account should be investigated, said the former Prime Minister. “But so far nothing has been heard.”
He wonders whether the banks get to keep the money. “If it is not reported to the authorities for action to be taken, then effectively the money has been laundered.”
“If this is so, then why do banks have to scrutinize large amounts of money deposited with it? They might as well not scrutinize if the suspiciously huge amount of money, the subject of much controversy, was just retained by them.”
Najib and his supporters, reiterated Mahathir, should stop trying to convince Malaysians that the RM2.6 billion in his private account was a donation. “No one believes or can believe such a huge sum of money can be donated by anyone to Najib or to anyone for whatever reason.”
Explaining that it was given because of Malaysia’s stand against the Islamic State is absurd as the Islamic State showed their brand of terrorism only in 2014 whereas the money came in 2013 or before, pointed out Mahathir.
“Saying that it’s because of Malaysia’s moderation in Islam is equally absurd as the country had never been extreme in its practice of Islam.”
Why USD700 million? he asked. “Surely it is too big for the needs of Malaysian elections, except if it is to bribe the Malaysian electorate.”
“Why should anyone want to bribe the electorate so Najib would win? Malaysians have supported the Barisan Nasional (BN) without the need to be paid huge bribes by anyone, least of all by foreigners.”
Mahathir noted the new Deputy Prime Minister, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, disclosed that he has seen the Arab who gave the money. “Then let him give proof that this Arab has huge sums of money to give away to Malaysia and many other countries. Which countries?”
“What is the source of this money? What business does he do? What is the name of the bank he uses? Show his account in the bank, the cheques he issued, particularly the USD700 million. The recipient bank should be holding these cheques.”
All these information could have been verified by the special Task Force of four Tan Sri, said Mahathir. “But Najib dismantled the Task Force by sacking the Attorney-General, sending the head of MACC on leave, and accusing Bank Negara of leaking government secrets.”
Now the MACC was said to be still investigating the RM2.6 billion, he said. “It’s an emasculated MACC.”
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