Shafie denies he is biggest 1MDB recipient
KIMANIS: Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said claim of him receiving money from 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) while he was still in Umno was "false and absurd".
The former Umno vice-president also denied another allegation made by Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that he and former Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin were the biggest beneficiaries of any donation received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“This is a bit absurd that it comes from a senior minister. As far as I know, Najib never gave me any money from 1MDB.
“I really want to know what Nazri is claiming we are the bigger recipient of, and what bank account of mine did he deposit it into,” Shafie told reporters at a function here on Monday to welcome some 1,000 new members into his new party.
The Semporna member of parliament insisted that he had never even spoken to the prime minister about such funding, except for one time with regard to a circular offering sponsorship “for anyone who wanted to travel for umrah for up to five people, but that is a few thousand ringgit per person”.
The former Rural and Regional Development Minister said it did not make sense for him to question the source of funds if he were a major recipient.
He also said he had asked “a lot of questions about 1MDB” while in the federal Cabinet and ticked off Nazri for trying to dispel attention by claiming another to be the “bigger recipient”.
“My God, this is a false and absurd claim by a senior minister.
“I remember when I raised the questions on 1MDB, Nazri was seated next to me. He gave me a thumbs up, but discreetly, not to be seen. He said it was good that we asked those questions. I’m surprised at these characters in politics that he is raising this now.
“If I was a recipient, I definitely wouldn’t question it,” he said.
In response, Nazri yesterday said that Shafie and his family must be very "rich" if he claims he was not a beneficiary of the controversial RM2.6 billion donation received by the prime minister in the last general election.
Nazri pointed out that it would have been extremely expensive for the former Umno vice-president to have forked out his own money for use in Election 2013, being not only the Semporna MP but also an Umno division chief.
"Perhaps Shafie is rich, his family is rich… word is that he even has a house in London. Maybe he does not need the money (for elections) but I need it, I am not rich like him," the Tourism and Culture Minister told Malay Mail Online.
Nazri said that all Barisan Nasional MPs received RM10,000 to pay the Election Commission as deposit to contest in GE13, and a RM200,000 cheque for expenses from nominations to polling day.
On top of that, each Umno branch received approximately RM25,000 to repair homes (RM5,000 for each house). Shafie, according to Nazri, was in charge of 400 branches.
"I didn't know Shafie did not receive any money but as an MP for BN, we all received this money.
"This money is from the headquarters, from the prime minister, so it is of course money from the RM2.6 billion donation," Nazri explained.
Nazri also disputed Shafie's claim that he had given the latter a "thumbs up" when he had allegedly raised questions on 1MDB during a Cabinet meeting with PM Najib.
"It is a bit naughty for him to mention the thumbs up. What happened during that meeting was that Shafie made a joke about me, and PM was laughing at his joke.
“The joke was at my expense… I told him ‘Fie, PM is laughing at your joke it means he sayang you, go and make peace with him,” Nazri said, using a nickname for Shafie.
“That’s what it was about. He is a big liar, what I am telling you now is what actually happened,” he added.
During a tell-all session with the Umno Overseas Alumni Club members in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday night, Nazri admitted to receiving funds from a controversial RM2.6 billion donation received by the prime minister for their party to use during the general election.
However, the Padang Rengas MP and Umno supreme council member claimed both Shafie and Muhyiddin received more.
Shafie and Muhyiddin were dropped from the federal Cabinet last year, presumably for their criticism of how the 1MDB matter was being handled and the RM2.6 billion deposited into the prime minister’s personal accounts.
However, Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali has since said the money was a political donation and cleared Najib of any wrongdoing.