KLANG, Feb 25 — Anti-corruption authorities may not have all the details yet on an alleged transfer of RM90 million to PAS, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had yesterday reportedly confirmed that so far, there has been no trace of the said sum entering the official accounts of PAS from state investment firm 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
“That is what MACC says. MACC may not have gotten the full information. It takes time,” Dr Mahathir told reporters after officiating Metrod Holdings Berhad’s continuous cast copper rod plant here.
“Until now, there are many monetary thefts by Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) which the MACC does not even have time to investigate. So, this does not mean that Datuk Seri Najib did not steal… just not investigated only. Let us wait — whether there is truth or not,” added the Langkawi MP, referring to former PM Najib.
National newswire Bernama yesterday quoted MACC commissioner Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull saying that investigations since the beginning of the month have found no evidence of the said transaction.
He, however, reportedly declined to answer a question on how many more witnesses would be called and whether the MACC was ready to wrap up the case.
Prior to Shukri's announcement, the MACC had called up Bachok MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, former PAS deputy president Datuk Nasharudin Mat Isa, former Bersih chairman Datuk S. Ambiga as well as Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) vice-president Datuk Husam Musa to provide their statements over the allegations.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had previously abandoned his defamation suit against Sarawak Report (SR) for claiming his party’s leaders took RM90 million from Umno.
He filed the suit in 2017 over a 2016 article alleging that several PAS leaders received RM90 million in order to covertly support Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of the 14th general election.
PAS has been mocked over the out-of-court settlement, but has insisted that it still obtained a moral victory despite SR continuing to carry the offending article on its website.
Former Malaysian Bar president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan had also called on PAS to explain to those who contributed to the millions raised to cover Abdul Hadi’s legal costs over the matter.
Ambiga had been tangentially linked to the case after SR editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown claimed the former to be the source of her information for the RM90 million claim.
