“It can no longer be swept under the carpet.”
The Prime Minister cannot pretend that the latest developments on 1MDB were not bringing shame and scandal to the country, he added.
He was commenting on a news conference during which US Attorney-General Loretta Lynch said 1MDB officials treated the state investment fund like “a personal bank account” and “stole billions of dollars from the people of Malaysia”.
The action by the US was part of an effort “to combat global corruption” to ensure that the US would not serve as a “safe haven for those who illegally use public funds for private gain,” Azmin quoted the US Attorney-General as saying.
As reported in the international press and all the major news portals except the mainstream Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) controlled media, noted Azmin, the the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has finally instituted the legal process to seize properties worth more than USD1 billion (RM4 billion) tied to 1MDB. “This is part of the USD3.5 billion misappropriated from the institution.”
Azmin expressed satisfaction that at last, after all these months of trying to whitewash the mother of all financial scandals in Malaysia, the truth concerning 1MDB has finally surfaced. “It confirms beyond a shadow of doubt that there was indeed a conspiracy to defraud and launder billions of taxpayers’ money.”
“It was committed by those closely connected with those occupying the highest rungs of public office.”
While it’s true that none of the lawsuits named Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, he agreed, specifically named were his step son Riza Aziz, Jho Low, and Abu Dhabi Government officials.
The assets include penthouses, mansions, artwork, a private jet and proceeds from the “Wolf of Wall Street” movie. The movie was financed by funds illegally acquired through money diverted from 1MDB where the Prime Minister was also the chairman at all material times.
The Selangor Menteri Besar referred to Najib’s decision last year to sack Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, relieve the then Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail of his duties and displace top MACC officers who were actively involved in the 1MDB investigation.
“As we have consistently maintained, it strongly suggested a conspiracy to cover up a scandal,” he summed up.