(August 4): Akmal Saufi Mohamed Khaled, the son of Johor's menteri besar, wants Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to explain the US$700 million (RM2.67 billion) in his personal accounts, asking for more proof that they were donations.

Akmal, who is chairman of the security, law and integrity committee of Malaysia's youth Parliament, posed Najib 15 questions following the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) announcement yesterday that no funds from state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) had been put into the prime minister's personal accounts in AmBank and that the US$700 million had come from donors instead.

"What proof is there that the funds are donations and not money related to 1MDB or from any parties which has transaction related to 1MDB?"

Akmal Saufi's questions were posted in the blog Apanama today..

The questions follow a statement posted by his father Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin earlier, that Umno must not allow itself to be "used" as a party to protect the "interests of a few".

Allegations of RM2.67 billion in Najib's accounts first surfaced in a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on July 2, citing documents from Malaysian investigators.

The WSJ said the source of the funds were unknown, but had flowed through 1MDB-linked entities in various tranches, the largest of which – US$681 million – was channelled to Najib's accounts in March 2013, ahead of the general election in May that year.

The prime minister had denied taking 1MDB funds for personal use, but had not directly addressed the fund transfers.

A few of Najib's Cabinet members had previously said that there is nothing wrong in money being funnelled into Najib's personal accounts as he had the capacity to be a trustee for Umno, of which he is president.

In referring to the MACC's announcement that the funds were actually from donors, Akmal Saufi asked if Najib was aware that such a large sum of money had been deposited into his personal accounts.

He also asked if the money was donation to the government, for Umno or personal purposes.

"If the money is for Umno, does the Umno leadership, especially the supreme council, knows about the funds?

"If the Umno supreme council does not know about it, does this mean Umno will not know of its existence if Datuk Seri do not inform them?" he said in referring to Najib's honorific title.

"When do you plan to inform the supreme council if it was not exposed to them?".

If the money is a personal donation to Najib and not to the party, Akmal Saufi asked if the prime minister accepted it when he was a minister.

"Can a minister or deputy minister or prime minister receive donations when he holds a post in the government?

"Or the donation needs to be declared to the people and other Cabinet members?" he further asked.

He then queried if Bank Negara governor and other officials knew about the movement of the RM2.67 billion into the country.

He also asked if the Inland Revenue Board is aware that such a huge amount of money had been received by Najib.

"If yes, have Datuk Seri paid any taxes based on the amount?

"Can a prime minister get tax exemption?

"If Datuk Seri gets tax exemption, is it from your salary or from any donations received by you?"

He added if the donation is for the government then why is it the finance ministry does not seem to be aware of its existence. – The Malaysian Insider