KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has claimed that former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Akhtar Aziz was aware of the US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) in his bank account before the 2013 general election but never questioned it.
The former prime minister told Malaysiakini in an interview published today that he did not see any problems with having the money in his account since Bank Negara did not query him on it.
“If Bank Negara is in the know of these funds and they had an inkling or some knowledge that there could be some doubts about the source of the funds, I expected them to tell me.
“But nothing of that sort happened. So I assumed all along that it was fine,” he told the news portal.
Pressed on whether Zeti had shown any concern over the money, Najib told Malaysiakini: “No, there was no comeback from Bank Negara. I assumed everything was fine.”
Zeti, who has not responded to the allegation, was the central bank’s governor for 16 years until she retired in 2016.
She is currently a member of the Council of Eminent Persons assembled by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Najib maintained in the Malaysiakini interview that the money was a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family, insisting yet again that he returned US$620 million (RM2.5 billion) to the donor after the said polls.
The US Department of Justice in its kleptocracy investigation has claimed that the money was connected to the 1Malaysia Development Board scandal which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and police are also investigating.
Last week, Malaysians were shocked when police revealed that about RM1.1 billion in cash, jewellery and other luxury items were seized from properties linked to Najib.
The former prime minister has denied any wrongdoing.
