The Malaysian Insight

FORMER prime minister Najib Razak (Pekan-BN) has addressed his contentious remarks about 1MDB made recently in the lower house, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun told Parliament today.

In response to a question from RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH), Azhar said Najib responded by the deadline, which was on Tuesday at 10am, and that he had forwarded a copy to Tony Pua (Damansara-PH).

“I have gone through (Najib’s) explanation, it is quite thick. I have also sat down with Pua on the explanation given and I’ve given him some time to respond.

“Explanations were also given by the finance minister, and a copy of all these have been given to Najib and Pua so (that) they know what has been said. After getting Pua’s response, I will make a ruling.

“It’s quite complicated as it involves facts that are quite detailed and specific, which I have to go through to see if Najib had misled the House,” he said.

On March 2, numerous opposition MPs claimed that Najib lied to the Dewan Rakyat about 1MDB’s debt commitments, prompting Azhar to demand Najib account for his comments by March 9.

However, as Najib was in Johor campaigning for Barisan Nasional in the recent state elections, he was offered an extension until March 15.

Najib’s statements during the discussion, according to Azhar, were explicitly about 1MDB’s major obligations not being paid, rather than 1MDB debts in general.

While saying he did not want to be the first to jump the gun, Azhar noted that Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz recently indicated the government had paid out the interest and that the principal sum would be paid in May once the first bond matured.

“So that’s the contradiction: while Najib claimed that the principal debt had not yet been paid, the minister also claimed that the interest had been paid and that the principal will be paid in May.

“That’s my primary concern, which is why I sat with Pua to inform him of Najib’s remarks.” – March 21, 2022.