The motion submitted by Gooi Hsiao Leung (Alor Setar-PKR) was rejected by Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia who said it did not abide by the standing orders.
“We just want an explanation from the prime minister on what action he would take to return assets misappropriated from 1MDB,” Gooi told the House.
Pandikar said he rejected the motion as the yacht, which was seized in Bali, was now being investigated by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).
“The matter is sub judice. That is why I don’t want the matter to be debated,” he added.
Gooi, however, insisted he wanted Najib to explain what directive he would give the attorney-general to seek the return of all assets that belonged to Malaysia.
Pandikar once again made clear that although Parliament was a place for debate, there were matters which could not be discussed.
Indonesian police yesterday confirmed that the seizure of the Equanimity, which was made in collaboration with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), did not involve Malaysia.
The yacht was seized by Indonesian police in Bali last Wednesday. It had been sought by DoJ in the multi-billion dollar corruption investigation linked to 1MDB.
In August 2017, the DoJ asked for a stay on its civil lawsuits seeking to seize more than US$1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds because it was conducting a related criminal probe.
Among the assets sought were the US$250 million yacht bought by Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, who is named as a key figure in the US lawsuits.
The lawsuits said Low, who is better known as Jho Low, used proceeds diverted from 1MDB to procure the Equanimity, which it described as a 300-foot (91-metre) yacht registered in the Cayman Islands.