‘Program Khas Haji’ not funded with stolen money — 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR: 1Malaysia Development Berhad said the Yayasan 1MDB sponsorship for ‘ Program Khas Haji’ was funded with money generated from legitimate business operations.

In a statement, 1MDB denied that the programme was funded with “stolen” money as alleged by former prime minister and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed.

Dismissing the claim as baseless and unsubstantiated, and just another lie by Dr Mahathir, 1MDB said the funds were generated from legitimate business operations, formerly in energy production and more recently in real estate development.

“Funds generated from these business operations are contributed to Yayasan 1MDB, which then uses such funds to sponsor Program Khas Haji,” it said.

“Since its inception in 2010, Yayasan 1MDB has sponsored approximately RM690 million of worthy causes across Malaysia and for all Malaysians, delivering some 60 projects in education, healthcare, youth development and community services,” it said.

“Such projects have had an impact on the lives of 2.8 million Malaysians.”

It said that examples of such activities could be found on the 1MDB website, ranging from Dana PIBG Grants, Academic Grants to SPM/STPM students to Academic Grants for Sri Murugan Centre and Unified Examination Certificate Holders, as well as Dana Belia 1Malaysia and 1Malaysia Mobile Clinics.

IMDB said the Yayasan also supported other programmes such as the Program SPM Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam ( Public Service Department) which is sponsoring over 600 Malaysian scholars of all races. — Bernama