Najib: Money taken was actually Umno's GE14 money

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. -filepic

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has claimed that the RM3.5mil allegedly taken by the 17 security guards was actually Umno's money.

The former prime minister told Malaysiakini that he was surprised that the security guards who were supposed to guard the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had taken the cash from there in the night of GE14.

Najib said that he read in a few news reports that the authorities had acknowledged that the money was Umno election funds that were being kept outside the strong room and safes in the PMO.

"If the authorities know these are Umno funds, then they will also know that the RM114 million seized by the police in the raids of the apartments came from the strong room and safes in the PMO," said Najib.

"The cash was seized after being hurriedly transferred from the PMO to the apartments the day after the election for eventual transfer to the new Umno president," he said.

Najib alleged that the funds were supposed to be used during the campaign period leading up to the 14th General Election on May 9.

Sources said the 17 security personnel aged between 31 and 51 allegedly abused their power to secure the money from the Prime Minister’s Office after learning that Barisan Nasional was losing GE14.

They were said to have shared the money among themselves on the morning of May 10.

So far, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers seized some RM840,700 and nine motorcycles, worth RM90,000 in the course of the investigation.