Ramkarpal: Police should get Najib’s statement on WSJ

Seven days after allegations against the Prime Minister in the American newspaper, there’s still no statement from him to the police on the matter.

GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh has urged Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar to summon Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to the nearest police station to record a statement from him to facilitate investigations in the wake of the allegations against him in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) last Friday. “It’s pertinent to note that to date, the Prime Minister has not expressly denied the existence of his said account at AmBank and neither has he expressly denied that such monies were deposited into his account.”

He recalled the swiftness of the IGP in investigating Opposition leaders for offences such as illegal assemblies by insisting that they attend at the nearest police station forthwith, failing which, they would be arrested for failing to facilitate in police investigations. “Some were even remanded for days simply for the purpose of recording a statement.”

The IGP would do well to act without fear or favour to unravel the truth behind what could possibly be the greatest political and financial crisis ever seen in this country, said the MP.

There can be no doubt, he added, that the said WSJ allegation has put the nation in a bad light. “The world is watching, not only as to whether there is basis to the said allegation, but also to see how it’s being investigated locally.”

It’s also necessary to enquire as to whether the premises of AmBank will be subject to a similar raid as that conducted on the scandal-ridden 1MDB since the money trail, according to WSJ, ended in an account there, he asked. “It’s also shocking as to why it took investigators at least four days to raid the premises of 1MDB.”

“I can see no impediment for the Prime Minister to give a statement which would, possibly exonerate him of such an allegation to his benefit,” resumed the MP. “In the circumstances, it’s shocking that at least a statement has not been recorded by the police from the Prime Minister having regard to the fact that countless police reports have been lodged pertaining to this issue.”

“Furthermore, the raid conducted on the premises of the nearly bankrupt 1MDB on Wednesday lends credence to the allegation of WSJ in that there is, at least, reasonable cause to suspect the commission of an offence or offences in relation to the allegations.”

He argued that a simple statement to the police by the Prime Minister that either he did not hold such an account at AmBank, or if he did, no such funds were deposited therein, would suffice to refute the said allegation of WSJ.

Assuming the said USD700 million did, in fact, find its way into an account held by the Prime Minister at AmBank, said Ramkarpal, it’s elementary that not only that account be investigated thoroughly, but also those involved in the management of the said account, the agents of AmBank. “This would provide confirmation of such deposits in the said account which would certainly assist in the investigations.”

“There’s ample legal provision giving investigators wide powers of entry, search and seizure in the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) and the Financial Services Act, 2013, among others, to facilitate investigations.”

Ramkarpal summed up that there can be no doubt that the allegation of WSJ is of a magnitude, the proportions of which have never been seen before. The fact that the premises of 1MDB was raided on Wednesday possibly means that the investigators of the said allegation have reasonable cause to suspect that there’s concealed or deposited evidence of the commission of an offence or offences relating to the said allegation, said the MP in summing up.

The Attorney- General had confirmed on July 4 that he was in possession of documents relating to the said allegation which had caused him to launch an official investigation, he noted. “Exactly when he came into possession of such documents is unclear.”

The allegation in the WSJ that some USD700 million of funds belonging to the troubled 1MDB were channeled into the account of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has now entered its seventh day.