KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Umno’s Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah today asked if details of the RM2.6 billion donation deposited in his party president’s accounts will be revealed in the same way polls reform group Bersih 2.0 declared the RM2.6 million in funds it received for the Bersih 4 rally.
Saifuddin did not specifically mention Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but made mention of the RM2.6 billion figure that corresponds with the amount said to have been deposited in the latter’s accounts by a donor from the Middle East.
“Battle of 2.6! Bersih 4 has revealed its accounts: RM2,647,361.74 (from 27,000 donors, T-shirt and muffler sales). Expenses: RM664,052.52. Balance:RM1,983,309.22, which will be used for programmes in the next two years (voter education, legal costs, training and others)... RM2.6 billion?” he wrote on Facebook.
Earlier today Bersih 2.0 said it made the declaration to prove it has nothing to hide, before challenging Najib to detail the RM 2.6 billion donation.
The coalition, comprising of more than 89 NGOs, declared a RM 1.9 million surplus after spending RM664,052 expenditure for the 34-hour rally on August 29 and 30.
The group said its 2,126-page bank statement with details of the donors had been sent for auditing. About 27,000 individuals had donated to the movement.
In an article on July 2, US-based business paper Wall Street Journal, citing documents from Malaysian investigators scrutinising 1MDB’s financials, said a money trail showed that almost US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been channelled into what appeared to be the prime minister’s accounts.
The report said, however, that the source of the funds was unknown although it noted that it was the first time that Najib had been linked to the probe on the troubled state investor.
Najib has repeatedly said he did not use public funds for personal gain, while the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission later declared the amount to be a political donation from an unidentified Middle Eastern donor.
