KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak remained notably silent as his primary lawyer was charged with money laundering and making false declarations today, choosing instead to criticise the Pakatan Harapan government.

As Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah claimed trial to four charges this morning over RM9.5 million in fees allegedly paid to him by Najib, the latter opted to mock the ruling coalition for its difficulties in resolving the National Higher Education Fund Corp’s (PTPTN) finances.

"Pakatan incited the public for 10 years not to pay PTPRN because of its promise to abolish this, but suddenly I am to blame again,” he wrote on Facebook.

"How strange.”

The post was accompanied by a screen capture of a news report quoting PTPTN chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan as blaming Najib’s "cash is king” attitude for the fund’s problem with loan delinquencies.

Shafee was charged this morning under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLA) and Income Tax Act.