KUALA LUMPUR (July 3): Former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz has declined to comment over an allegation she knew about the RM2.6 billion transferred into the personal bank account of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2015.
"I am not going to comment on that (RM2.6 billion transferred into Najib's account) now ... case (still under investigation) ... but at some point, you will get a comment," Zeti told reporters after attending a meeting between the Council of Eminent Persons and the Railwaymen Union of Malaya at Menara Ilham today.
In a recent interview with Malaysiakini, Najib said Zeti, who was the central bank governor at the time, knew about the purported transfer of funds amounting to RM2.6 billion in his personal account, but did not raise a question about the transaction, which had taken place around 2013.
“If BNM is in the know of these funds and they had an inkling or some knowledge that there could be some doubts about the source of the funds, I expected them to tell me," Najib was quoted as saying.
“But nothing of that sort happened. So I assumed all along that it was fine,” he had added.
When asked if Zeti had raised a red flag over the purported transfer, Najib said: “No, there was no comeback from BNM. I assumed everything was fine.”
Malaysiakini also said it was awaiting Zeti’s response to Najib’s comment on her knowledge of the transfer.
It was previously reported that some US$681 million, equivalent to RM2.6 billion from the troubled 1Malaysia Development Bhd, was transferred into Najib's personal bank account ahead of the country's 13th general election (GE13) in 2013.
However, Najib had said the RM2.6 billion was a donation from the royal family in Saudi Arabia, with about US$620 million (RM2.5 billion) returned to the donor after GE13.
Former attorney-general Tan Sri Apandi Ali had also cleared Najib of wrongdoings and said the RM2.6 billion transfer into his personal account did not amount to corruption or any criminal offence.