The Malaysian Insight

PARTI Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin last night denied receiving a single sen from state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) as alleged by Culture and Minister Nazri Aziz. 

“It’s slander. None of the money went into my pocket. The umrah package was sponsored by a company,” he said in his address to a crowd of about 1,000 at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur last night.

Muhyiddin said he had questioned the alleged RM2.6 billion donation banked into the prime minister’s personal bank account and not the US$3.5 billion (RM13 billion) that the US Justice Department reported was stolen from 1MDB. 

“I was certain the money had gone into a private account. Liar. He took the money and then returned it,” he said.

On May 22, Nazri accused former deputy prime minister Muyhiddin and former cabinet minister Shafie Apdal of being the biggest recipients of 1MDB funds.

Nazri pointed out that each Umno branch had received RM5,000 from the funds, and as a former Umno leader and the Semporna MP, Shafie had more than 200 party branches in his constituency. Muhyiddin, as Pagoh MP, had more than 100 Umno branches in his constituency.

Shafie yesterday also denied receiving money from 1MDB. 

Earlier in his speech, Muyhiddin vowed to abolish the goods and services tax if Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan formed the next government.

He also promised to initiate an inquiry to investigate the 1MDB scandal and bring those responsible to justice, even if the person should prove to be the prime minister. – May 25, 2017.