PETALING JAYA: A letter reproduced by the Australian Broadcasting Channel (ABC) confirms what the Prime Minister has maintained all along - that the millions of ringgit in funds deposited into his bank account were a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Prime Minister's Office said the letter from the Saudi royal "makes clear" that the gift was for promoting moderate Islam and was to be used as Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's sees fit and with no strings attached.
“As the leaked letter from Saudi Arabia states, the donation was a gift to the Prime Minister for promoting moderate Islam, and his leadership in combating terrorism and extremism – such as by launching his Global Movement of the Moderates initiative.
"The letter makes clear that the gift was to be used as the Prime Minister saw fit; would be transferred directly or through the donor’s companies; and no benefit was expected in return," the statement said.
It said the ABC report also confirms what multiple lawful authorities have concluded after exhaustive investigations.
“The investigations included forensic examination of every wire transfer. Malaysian authorities also travelled to Saudi Arabia to examine documentation and interview members of the royal family, and the officials who administered the donation," it said.
In its Four Corners programme on Monday, ABC reproduced a letter purportedly from a Saudi royal telling Najib "to do as he pleases" with the donation, which was transferred to the Prime Minister's private bank accounts.
