Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): Prime Minister's press secretary Datuk Seri Tengku Sariffuddin today reiterated Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has given his full cooperation to local investigators in relation to the probe on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

"(Najib has also) publicly instructed all relevant bodies in the government to do so as well," he said in a statement, brushing off a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report today that alleged the graft probe ordered by Najib on 1MDB had been undermined by political pressure, and was flawed.

He also took issue with WSJ for reporting that Najib was not called in for questioning by Malaysian investigators.

"It was a matter of public record, and was widely reported by other media at the time, that the Prime Minister was interviewed for multiple hours on Dec 5, 2015 by the primary investigative body in this case, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission," Sariffuddin stressed.

He expressed his disappointment over the news report, adding the WSJ had deliberately ignored these key facts.

Further, he said an investigation should be launched into why the WSJ was taking sides in Malaysia's politics and internal affairs.

"Journalism should be about independently reporting news based on verified sources and facts," he added.

Citing documents and interviews with people involved in the probe, the WSJ, in its report titled Malaysia's Probe Into 1MDB Fund Was Flawed today, said investigations ordered by Malaysia's leader into graft allegations at the state-development fund have been undermined by political pressure and a lack of transparency.

The report said evidence possibly central to the probes was placed off limits or ignored, and potentially crucial clues weren't scrutinised.

"And at least one key figure, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak himself, wasn't interviewed by investigators," the report added.

Specifically, it noted Najib was not called in by Public Accounts Committee chief Hasan Arifin for questioning even though Najib was the then chairman of 1MDB's board of advisers, besides his role as Finance Minister, which gave him ultimate oversight over the fund.

 

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