Najib ‘fully responsible’ for 1MDB as finance minister – Guan Eng

KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said yesterday that his predecessor Datuk Seri Najib Razak has to bear the burden of full responsibility for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whatever the final outcome as it was under his purview then.

In an interview with Channel News Asia, Lim said Najib as the former minister in charge of Malaysia’s finances had the sole authority to sign off 1MDBrelated transactions.

“I personally think he is fully responsible. Only a finance minister can authorise these transactions,” he said in a 21minute video interview with the Singapore broadcaster.

When asked there is enough liability on Najib’s part to tie him to the whole 1MDB scandal, Lim said: “The nexus is very clear”.

However, he acknowledged that Najib is still only under investigation and had not been tried or sentenced in a court of law.

“As much as I feel that the buck stops at the former finance minister’s desk, we let the investigation and due process takes its course,” Lim said.

After taking federal power on, the Pakatan Harapan government established a special 1MDB taskforce and a separate 1MDB committee to relook the billions of ringgit allegedly embezzled and laundered from the sovereign investment fund.

Najib continues to deny that he stole from the fund or used any of the money for personal benefit.