‘Najib will clear his name in court’

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will contest the charges made against him and clear his name in court, says a spokesman.

“The arrest by MACC was to be expected as since taking over the Government, the Pakatan Harapan leadership has ‘delivered the guilty verdict’ against the former premier in public. Insyallah, the truth will prevail,” said the spokesman.

In a separate interview with news portal Malaysiakini a week before his arrest, Najib said he believed that the Government was left with no choice but to arrest and charge him, due to a relentless smear campaign that had led to public pressure over the matter.

“The Pakatan Harapan government’s current political storyline is simple: ‘Najib stole billions’. Hence, the country is close to bankruptcy and (Harapan) cannot deliver their manifesto promises and may have to sell off or privatise state assets such as Petronas.

“Already, the Japanese newspapers have reported that the Philip­pines’ San Miguel conglomerate is eyeing our state oil and gas assets.”

Najib also argued that the Pakatan government’s “misleading claim” that national debt stood at RM1 trillion is another factor that had contributed to his arrest.

“This situation and what they have said before means that the new government simply has no choice but to eventually arrest or charge me even though I did not steal. I maintain that I am innocent as I am not a thief,” he was quoted as saying by the news portal.

Najib hopes to be given a fair trial, as he said that Pakatan had promised Malaysians a judiciary that is free from political interference. When asked if he believes that Pakatan would accord him a fair trial, the embattled former premier said he was not certain of this.

“This is a test, a test for Malaysia,” he said.