KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies have today lambasted the move by the Attorney General’s Chambers to accept a settlement in the money laundering case against Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s step-son Riza Aziz.
In a joint statement with Parti Warisan Sabah and the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, they said the move may signal the possible discharge of other corruption cases involving top politicians.
“The presidential council meeting is of the view that the 1MDB case involving Riza Aziz... is a sign or signal that several other cases involving political leaders will be settled the same way,” the coalition said in a statement.
The presidential council statement was signed by all heads of component members including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the chairman of Bersatu that is currently part of the Perikatan Nasional administration that has defended the settlement move.
Riza, former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s stepson, was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) from five counts of money-laundering over US$248 million (RM1.07 billion) allegedly misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) on Friday.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission later said the government is expected to recover overseas assets involved in the offense, which is estimated at US$107.3 million (RM465.3 million).
Since PN took over federal power in March, PH leaders have launched incessant attacks against the loose coalition’s most dominant party, Umno, often targeting its corruption-tainted senior leaders.
Until today, PN’s legitimacy as the ruling bloc remains in question.
To his critics, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has not been able to prove he commands majority support of Parliament’s lower house, and his government’s refusal to grant opposition request to lengthen tomorrow’s sitting is proof that he fears being ousted through a no-confidence motion.
In a presidential council meeting chaired by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, PH reiterated the coalition’s commitment to “return the people’s mandate”, although the statement stopped short of outlining how the coalition aims to achieve that.
Among those that attended was Dr Mahathir, Bersatu chairman and Muhyiddin’s party colleague.
