This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 9, 2015.

PUTRAJAYA: It is presumptuous to say the Malay rulers have lost trust in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership when they called for transparency in investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and for wrongdoers to be punished, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.

Hishammuddin, who is also an Umno vice-president, said if the Conference of Malay Rulers believed the issue of trust should be raised, they would have said it outright instead of raising the 1MDB issue.

“If they don’t believe in Najib’s leadership, they would have said it as it is.

“Certain parties are trying to interpret it themselves. That is speculation and assumption that is not necessary.”

“You are trying to put words into the mouth of our sultans and raja-raja. That is unfair,” he said at a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters yesterday.

On Tuesday, the Conference of Malay Rulers listed nine points regarding the 1MDB issue, including a call for transparency in investigations and for wrongdoers to be punished.

The Malay rulers, who as sultans are constitutionally the ceremonial heads of their respective states and guardians of Islam, said they wanted Putrajaya to complete the investigations as soon as possible and act against those found to be implicated.

Hishammuddin, the first Umno minister to comment on the matter, appeared to have downplayed the rulers’ statement, saying it was not a new issue.

He said Putrajaya also wanted the investigations on 1MDB to be completed and wrongdoers to be brought to justice.

“That is not something new, the prime minister has said before that the 1MDB issue will be solved. There is no necessity for any party to add to this issue just because it was raised by our rulers.

“Maybe they just highlighted what has been discussed by us in the Cabinet under the prime minister’s leadership,” Hishammuddin said after chairing a National Service Training Programme meeting.

Also present was Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who echoed Hishammuddin’s view on the matter. — The Malaysian Insider