PMO: Najib proven right all along

PETALING JAYA: ABC’s Four Corners programme which just aired only confirms the funds donated to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak were from the Saudi royal family, said the Prime Minister’s Office.

A spokesman from the PMO said the programme reaffirmed what Najib had been saying on the issue.

“It confirms what the PM has maintained all along and what multiple lawful authorities concluded after exhaustive investigations – that the funds were a donation from the royal family of Saudi Arabia,” the spokesman said in a press statement yesterday.

The spokesman said the investigations included forensic examination of every wire transfer.

“Malaysian authorities also travelled to Saudi Arabia to examine documentation and interview members of the royal family, as well as the officials who administered the donation,” the spokesman said, adding that the donation was a personal gift for Najib.

“As the leaked letter from Saudi Arabia shows, the donation was a gift to the PM for promoting moderate Islam, and for his leadership in combating terrorism and extremism, such as by launching his Global Movement of Moderates initiative.

“The letter makes clear that the gift was to be used as the PM saw fit, would be transferred directly or through the donor’s companies and no benefit was expected in return,” said the spokesman.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said the Four Corners programme was an attempt by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his allies to discredit Najib.

He said the faction was using the Western media after failing to topple Najib in Umno and in Parliament.

“Unfortunately, the (Western) journalists accepted hook, line and sinker the narrative they were presented.

“Weaving together a disparate set of events, they interviewed only Tun Mahathir and members of his anti-Najib campaign, who have publicly confirmed their intention to overthrow a democratically-elected government,” he said in a statement.

Also, the journalists made no attempt at presenting a balanced report and provided no proof to justify the wild claims, he said.

He said that contrary to what was alleged in the programme, the deaths of banker Hussain Najadi, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Morais, and model Altantuya Sharibuu have been proven to have no link to Najib.