Accusations made without solid proof, claims Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: “At the time, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) never took my statement, how could there have been a charge sheet?”

These were among the questions raised by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a statement posted on his Facebook page yesterday.

The former premier was referring to an allegation that there had been a charge sheet drafted against him in 2015.

Najib said this in response to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who reportedly said in Japan that a hasty attempt to charge Najib over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case might see him go free.

Dr Mahathir said the government wanted to gather enough evidence to charge Najib in court and “hopefully, he will be found guilty”, according to a Malaysiakini report. He said many people were waiting to see when Najib would be arrested, but he said it was not easy as the government needed to collect evidence that would stand up in court.

Najib said despite having convinced Malaysians prior to the 14th General Election that he had stolen billions of 1MDB funds, Dr Mahathir was now saying that without solid evidence, it would not be easy to either arrest or charge him.

“He (Dr Mahathir) also said that without strong evidence and if the court finds me innocent, then all the accusations thrown, and actions taken by Pakatan Harapan will be questioned by the rakyat.

“In saying this, Dr Mahathir is admitting that PH made all the accusations against me without solid proof,” Najib said.

He added that PH was justifying its claims by looking for “evidence”, be it real, imagined or created.

“I would like to reiterate that I have neither gained benefit nor have I stolen money from 1MDB or any parties. If I am being charged for political reasons, I am confident the court will prove that I am innocent. Unlike the fourth prime minister’s children, my children do not own publiclisted companies, luxury cars worth millions of ringgit and have never been awarded with any government contracts or did business with the government.”