KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Amid controversy over a RM2.6 billion donation into the prime minister’s personal accounts, Datuk Ahmad Maslan has urged “rich Muslims” to contribute funds for charitable purposes.

In a Twitter post last night, the international trade and industry deputy minister appended a screen capture of articles reporting an Arab prince’s plan on donating RM120 billion to the poor.

“We need many more Muslim individuals who grew rich from land/business and can donate for noble purposes,” he wrote on Twitter.

The reports are of Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who reportedly pledge to give away his entire US$32 billion (RM124 billion) fortune to the needy.

Malaysia has been rocked by a recent controversy after it was claimed that US$700 million was deposited into Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts.

This was initially alleged to be funds channelled from state-owned 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission this week revealed that the amount was donations, and not from 1MDB.

In a leaked video following his removal as deputy prime minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin asserted that Najib informed him that the RM2.6 billion came from “somewhere in the Middle East”.