Azalina: Govt need not get involved in DOJ civil suit

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government need not get involved in the civil suit between the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the four defendants named in the report, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic).

Speaking at a press conference here, the de-facto law minister said it was a private matter between the US government and the four defendants named in the report on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“It is a matter of the US government in reference to the particular legislature, and in reference to four of the defendants.

“I went online and looked into it, I do not see any government of Malaysia there (in the report), so I do not think it is relevant for (Malaysian) government to be directly involved.

“I think this is a civil matter. This is a private matter between the four and the government of USA,” she said.

Azalina, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, added that the government would only be involved if it is named as the defendant.

“If Felda or Tabung Haji is being sued, all these state owned agencies, or even at the state level, I think the state agencies have the purview of their own lawyers,” she said, adding that 1MDB as a state owned agency should also defend itself.

Azalina had said this when asked if the Malaysian government would provide legal aid to Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as “Jho Low”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz, 1MDB and Malaysian Official Number One.

Asked about rumours that government lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was being sent to the US to clarify on the DOJ report, Azalina said she did not know.

“I won’t know as I am not in charge of him, doesn’t mean I am a Cabinet Minister I know everything,” she added.

On July 20, DOJ had released a report on 1MDB and filed civil claims to seize more than US$1bil (RM4.07bil) in assets allegedly siphoned out of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). It also plans to seize assets in Singapore, UK and Switzerland.