KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was secretly recorded claiming to guests at his Damansara Heights house last night that RM2.6 billion in 1MDB funds were channelled into the personal bank accounts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Malay Mail Online is unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the leaked video, but former minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir who was present at the meeting confirmed the incident captured on camera was genuine.
“I was there at the meeting at Muhyiddin’s house last night where over 100 people were there. We had a two hour long discussion on various topics,” Abdul Kadir told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
“I cannot comment on the video. It was a private conversation that should have not been recorded, very unethical,” he added.
It is unclear from the 57-second recording the exact explanation Najib allegedly gave Muhyiddin, based on the Umno deputy president’s account to his guests.
Snippets of the account by Muhyiddin was told in a mix of English and Bahasa Malaysia, with parts that were inaudible.
According to Muhyiddin, he had asked Najib the original source of the money and the amount.
However, he claimed the prime minister did not mention any names but mentioned he received “a lot” from the “Middle East”.
“Then saya kata kenapa masuk account you?
“Kenapa masuk account Najib Razak? Duit berapa? Tujuh ratus million US dollar. Kalau kali tiga point something... 2.6 billion that goes into his personal account. Ini dia sebut. He admitted. So I said why did you put into your personal account?” Muhyiddin was heard saying in the video.
Malay Mail Online was unable to reach Muhyiddin for immediate comment to the leaked video.
However, Abdul Kadir vouched that Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir who is Kedah mentri besar and the son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was present during the closed-door chat with Muhyiddin last night as captured in the video.
“Yes, Mukhriz was there the whole time. There were also many other Umno people there too,” he said.
Abdul Kadir declined further comment, except to say he was unaware the conversation was being recorded.
Muhyiddin was dropped from Najib’s Cabinet in an unexpected reshuffle Tuesday, hours after the chief secretary to the government issued a surprise statement announcing the termination of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as attorney-general amid the latter’s involvement as part of a four-agency government task force probing Najib’s debt-riddled brainchild, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Speculation has been rife that Muhyiddin was axed after questioning Najib dearth of explanation to the controversies surrounding the state-owned investment fund.
Among the other ministers purged from Cabinet was Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who was rural and regional development minister, also another vocal critics against 1MDB in recent months.
Public pressure on Najib increased after US daily Wall Street Journal cited government papers that allegedly documented a money trail of nearly US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) cash deposits funnelled through 1MDB’s funds into bank accounts believed privately owned by the PM in the months ahead of the tumultuous May 2013 general elections.
