Najib can say anything about RM2.6 bln – Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said his predecessor Datuk Seri Najib Razak can say whatever he wants about the “RM2.6 billion donations from Saudi Arabia”, but the whole world knows better.

Dr Mahathir said this at a press conference when asked by the media on Najib’s persistence that the RM2.6 billion received was indeed a donation from the Saudi government.

“Of course he will say that. What else can he say? The whole world knows it and Malaysia became known as a kleptocracy under him and it is published all over the world.

“He can say what he likes. If you want to believe, you are welcome to believe. What happens is, there must be enough evidence to charge him, otherwise he could not be charged,” he said at the press conference after delivering a keynote address at the Anti-Corruption Summit here.

Recently, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said his Saudi counterpart Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir had stated that the money that ended up in the former prime minister’s personal bank account had nothing to do with the Saudi government.

Dr Mahathir pointed out that if Najib is free from corruption, then he could take action against his accusers.

“(Previously) He threatened them but could not take action. Now he has been charged based on reports not just by foreign press but agencies here.

“When you move money, there must be records. You can’t move billions of dollars without any record. When money move between banks, even cheques, there must be records,” he added. - Bernama