Najib: Don't make 1MDB a political football

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arriving at the opening of the Gerakan delegates conference on Sunday. - BERNAMA

SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants everyone to stop turning 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) into a political football.

“Just don't make it a political football, if there are wrongdoings let the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) find out.

“We are elected by the people and we will serve the people through difficult times,” the Prime Minister said at the opening of the Gerakan delegates conference on Sunday.

Najib said the government would soon announce details of the rationalisation programme for 1MDB.

Najib, who is Barisan Nasional president, also touched on the upcoming budget and said he has a tough task ahead to come out with a good one.

“Take the toll for example, if you do not increase the toll rates, you have to pay the compensation (to the concessionaires)  and that leaves less resources for other things such as BR1M.

“Petroleum prices have slumped and Petronas which gave a dividend of RM26bil this year have said that they can only give RM9bil next year. Where am I to go to make up the RM15bil deficit,” he said.

He said that borrowing money was not an option as that would make Malaysia a debt ridden country.

“We are not a failed state, we are successful and had a 6% growth rate last year," he said.

Najib said the people "are cursing" the government over the Goods and Services Tax.

“I know the rakyat are cursing, but without GST, you will see an increase in other forms of taxes,” he said.

Najib said he believed the country would rise again as it had gone through worse times.