I knew of RM2.6 billion in Najib’s accounts, says Tengku Adnan

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor says he was aware of the RM2.6 billion in the party president's accounts, and shot back at opposition parties whom he accused of getting foreign funds. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, August 16, 2015.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said he and the party treasurer knew about the RM2.6 billion in Datuk Seri Najb Razak's personal accounts, The Star Online reported today.

The news portal quoted him as saying that the matter had been "repeatedly explained".

"We have repeatedly explained this issue. As the secretary-general, I am aware of it and so is the party treasurer," he said in his speech at the Setiawangsa Umno division meeting today.

Najib had recently claimed that he had been cleared by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of graft over the US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) in his personal accounts.

Najib said the money was kept on behalf of Umno, of which he is the president, and not for his personal use.

MACC had earlier announced that the money was not from troubled state firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), but came from a Middle Eastern donor.

Allegations of RM2.6 billion in Najib's accounts first surfaced in a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on July 2, citing documents from Malaysian investigators.

WSJ said the source of the funds were unknown, but came through 1MDB-linked entities in various tranches, the largest of which – US$681 million – was channelled to Najib's accounts in March 2013, ahead of the general election in May that year.

A few of Najib's Cabinet members had previously said there was nothing wrong in money being funnelled into his personal accounts as he had the capacity to act as a trustee for Umno.

Adnan today said opposition parties and groups such as Bersih 2.0 should reveal the sources of their funds.

"We want to know where they get their funding. They give out yellow t-shirts and banners during each demonstrations. The public deserves to know where they get their
source (funds) from? Please declare," he was quoted as saying.

On Bersih's upcoming 34-hour rally in Kuala Lumpur and other cities, Adnan said protestors at previous rallies received money in foreign currencies.

"I saw it with my own eyes during the Reformasi rally in 1998, some of the participants were holding USD50 bill after they joined the rally.

"Now we want to know where the non-governmental organisations and the opposition get their funding."

- TMI