.jpg "Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan is pictured at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur July 20, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isann")
KUALA LUMPUR, August 10 — Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan claimed today there were documents to prove alleged political interference by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng in a case involving a tycoon linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Takiyuddin, who is also de facto law minister, cited a case involving business tycoon Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng whereby the latter had also asked his lawyers to submit a letter of representation to then Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull in October 2018.
Speaking during his winding-up speech on the King’s address in the Dewan Rakyat, Takiyuddin had read out a handwritten note which had been minuted by Dr Mahathir on Lim’s letter of representation.
At that time, Lim’s bank accounts were frozen due to investigations into RM4 million in transactions relating to1MDB-linked funds from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I am in the opinion that the embezzlement conducted by the previous Prime Minister should not be blamed on Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng. Therefore, any freezing of personal or company accounts should not remain,” the minute reads with an official stamp of the PM and signed December 5, 2018.
He added the same letter was again minuted by former finance minister Lim Guan Eng who followed up by writing to then Attorney General Tommy Thomas to lift the freeze on the tycoon’s account as requested by the PM.
“Yang Berhormat AG, please lift the freeze on account as requested by YAB PM,” Lim’s minute read.
Following this, Takiyuddin said Thomas wrote to Lim on May 31, 2019, stating that the freeze had been lifted after the tycoon had agreed to return a portion of the sum equivalent to the illegal proceeds received from Datuk Seri Najib Razak in relation to the scandal.
This prompted Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin to rebuff Takiyuddin but was instead heckled by government lawmakers in particular Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.
Several Opposition lawmakers then joined in the commotion, drowning Takiyuddin’s voice.
Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker and Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said then proceeded to mute the microphones of both government and opposition lawmakers as the exchange became heated.
“Document speaks louder than words,” Takiyuddin reiterated again before resuming his speech.
