(Oct 27): Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to decide soon whether to commence legal action against former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik over remarks on the prime minister’s handling of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, his lawyer said today.

Datuk Hafarizam Harun said he expected to file the suit this week if the prime minister gave the go-ahead.

“I’m going to ask for an appointment today and hope to get it in one or two days to ask for instructions to proceed or not proceed.

“And I hope to get it filed by this week, and naturally after that, I will be serving it on Dr Ling or his lawyer,” Hafarizam told reporters at the Jalan Duta court complex today.

Earlier this month, Dr Ling was reported to have agreed with his former boss, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that Najib had “taken the people’s money and put it in his own personal accounts”.

“I agree with (Dr) Mahathir. Because he (Najib) has taken people’s money and put it in his own personal accounts,” Dr Ling was quoted as saying at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Following the remarks, law firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak had issued a letter of demand on behalf of Najib to Dr Ling at his residence.

The letter dated Oct 5 demanded an unreserved apology and compensation within seven days, failing which legal action would be instituted.

However, Dr Ling’s lawyers said their client stood by his statement.

Najib is being investigated after US-based The Wall Street Journal reported in July that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was transferred into his personal bank accounts two months before the 2013 general election.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said the money was a donation from a Middle Eastern individual.

The prime minister has also denied using public money, including from 1MDB, for personal benefit, though questions have been raised on the source and purpose of the donation. – The Malaysian Insider