KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a venomous message posted on Facebook last night ridiculed Pakatan Harapan’s proposal to launch its own cryptocurrency, calling it “the most creative… idea surpassing any creatures in this universe”.fund
The former prime minister said the idea is yet another controversy just after public scrutiny over Putrajaya’s plan to introduce a peer-to-peer home financing scheme.
“Harapan Coin? Pakatan Harapan leaders are so creative lately,” the Pekan MP wrote.
“Surpassing all creatures and forms of life in this universe. When the issues surrounding the FundMyHome scheme is yet to go away, now comes the issue of Harapan Coin.”
Najib said the coalition’s justification of the Harapan Coin and its potential to become legal tender was “baseless” and “full of rhetoric”.
“I inspected the website and it said the currency could potentially become official if PH wins,” he said.
“The explanation part was also full of rhetoric and baseless justification. The more I read the weirder it becomes, and weirder that it is linked to Khalid Samad,” he added.
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad made the announcement on the purported plan to introduce the cryptocurrency in July.
The Amanah leader said the coin could be the first political fundraising platform utilising cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
But Khalid also said the cryptocurrency may also be used for official transactions, which raised suspicion.
Najib asked whether Bank Negara Malaysia would approve it as legal tender and who stood to benefit from this.
“What is the agenda of this YB?” he wrote.
“Weird things like FundMyHome and Harapan Coin appear to be getting much attention from this Pakatan Harapan government.
“I hope the welfare of the people is protected.”
Harapan Coin was started in January 2017 by its team leader Aziz M. based in the US, along with Australia-based Yi Ling who handles its marketing and public relations, UK-based blockchain developer K. Pathmanathan, France-based web developer Anthony R., and Singapore-based graphic designer Awang Y.
In October that year, Aziz and his team met with Khalid and managed to convince the latter to hop on board.
The first day of 2018 saw the pre-sale launch while the Initial Coin Offering was held from April 4 to April 19 this year.
