‘Info on RM2.6bil crucial’

Minister: Official said donation not from Saudi – twice

KUANTAN: Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says he is no detective and as such will not know why his Saudi counterpart made contradictory statements over the RM2.6bil “donation”.

Saifuddin said he would leave it to the authorities who were better at investigating the matter.

“When in New York, I asked Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir whether the RM2.6bil came from the Saudi government or King Salman’s family. He said it was from neither.

“Yesterday (Saturday), I did not even ask him and yet, he reiterated it.

“I know he said differently in 2016, but I am not an investigator.”

In April 2016, Adel reportedly said the donation was a genuine donation with nothing expected in return.

“Why he gave these different statements is outside my knowledge.

“To me, the fact that he stated it twice – that the money did not come from them (Saudi government or King Salman’s family) is an important piece of information,” Saifuddin said after opening a futsal tournament in Indera Mahkota here yesterday.

Saifuddin also said Adel assured him that the Saudi government would give its cooperation in determining the status of the RM2.6bil.

When asked by reporters whether this meant that the Saudi govern- ment was prepared to be a witness, Saifuddin said that decision had yet to be reached.

On another matter, Saifuddin said the increased security at the Malaysia Hall Canteen in London was due to the frequent incidents of theft.

“There have been thefts of property and passports. So, due to these factors, we are forced to limit entry to the Malaysia Hall to Malaysians only,” he added.

It was reported that the Education Ministry-owned Education Malaysia building at 34, Queensborough Terrace has begun enforcing a security policy restricting entry to Malaysians and authorised personnel only.

Previously, non-Malaysians were allowed to enter as guests.