Najib's donation claim false, says ex-MACC chief
NST
Former MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed said evidence provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice (DoJ) contradicted Najib’s claim. (NSTP Archive)
By MANIRAJAN RAMASAMY AND VEENA BABULAL - October 31, 2018 @ 8:41am
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has found Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s claim that the RM2.6 billion he received was a donation from Saudi royalty to be false after the agency met United States’ officials in Washington.
Former MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed said evidence provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice (DoJ) contradicted Najib’s claim.
Abu Kassim said this when asked to clarify a statement issued by MACC in 2015 confirming that the money that was deposited in Najib’s personal account was a donation.
The agency stated that the money was not siphoned from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
It said it obtained an explanation about the donation from the donor personally, who was said to be a Saudi prince.
The agency said details about the donor were collected through a bank document, apart from letters that were purportedly mailed to AmBank when the money was wired into Najib’s account.
The statement had concluded that the RM2.6 billion was a donation based on the documents obtained at the time.
However, when asked to clarify this yesterday, Abu Kassim said the 2015 statement was issued based on information that was available at the time.
“At that particular time, in that statement, we said it was a donation.
“But after we had some engagement (with other authorities), we discovered the truth.”
When pressed, Abu Kassim said: “The court will reveal the truth.”
Abu Kassim, who is National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption head, said this after briefing an international conference on financial crime here.
Najib has maintained that he believed the money he received was a donation from Saudi royalty.
The former prime minister and finance minister has been slapped with more than 30 counts of money-laundering offences, corruption and criminal breach of trust over allegations that he embezzled billions of ringgit from 1MDB.
