Muhyiddin and I asked about 1MDB in Cabinet, no one answered, says Shafie
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal today said he and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had sought answers on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) while in Cabinet, but no explanation was forthcoming.
Shafie also rubbished Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's statement that Muhyiddin could have sought further clarification while he was still deputy prime minister.
"(We) asked a lot, even I asked (1MDB group president) Arul Kanda (Kandasamy) and he didn't answer," Shafie told a joint interview in Kuala Lumpur.
"(I asked) on the business model used that enabled 1MDB to invest more than RM2 billion with PetroSaudi International, and more.
"There were requests for clarification on why land was bought (from 1MDB) in Penang at a higher price, were we (the government) so desperate to purchase that land, why did we buy that land? In Klang, in Penang... the price was not cheap. RM1 billion."
Shafie said none of the questions he raised in Parliament on 1MDB had been answered clearly either, which was why he and Muhyiddin had resorted to demanding answers in public.
He said it was pointless to wait until the Umno Supreme Council meetings to seek clarification because they did not meet often enough.
"People are raising this issue and we as leaders must ask for the sake of the party and the government.
"Otherwise, only the opposition will end up championing this issue if we don't speak out."
Yesterday, Najib said Muhyiddin should have gathered more information on 1MDB while he was in Cabinet, Bernama reported.
"There is no real excuse not to get information. Everything about 1MDB can be known," the Umno president said in an interview with TV3 in conjunction with the Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur, which will be held this week. – December 8, 2015.
