Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak can put to rest the controversial allegations that he had taken US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) in state funds by simply showing his bank accounts, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said.

"When people charge him with something, he says it is a plot. Nonsense, it's not true. Prove that it is not true. It is very easy for him to prove it is not true.

"He has these bank accounts, all he has to do is say: 'you examine my accounts, you look at it'," Mahathir said in an interview with UK-based BBCthat was aired this morning.

This is the first time Mahathir has publicly weighed in on Najib's position after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported last Friday that US$700 million of 1MDB's funds was deposited into Najib's private bank accounts with Ambank.

Najib has since denied that he had taken government funds for personal gain and accused Mahathir of working "hand in glove" with foreigners to create a political crisis.

He also accused Mahathir of wanting to oust him for not fulfilling his wishes.

However, Mahathir said mere denials were insufficient.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You say you deny, but let's see the accounts," he said.

‘All this is about money that has been borrowed’

Mahathir also denied that he was working with the foreign media to make allegations against Najib.

"All this about the money that has been borrowed and all these shenanigans that followed - is something that I read in the foreign press and I confirmed by asking local people.

"I did not work with the foreign press," he said in the interview.

Mahathir also addressed accusations that he was out to oust Najib for not following his wishes, stating that the prime minister had made some promises to him but that they were "minor things".

"I didn't ask him why he didn't do what he promised to do, which is to build the (crooked) bridge and continue the railway line.

"That is a minor thing to me, if you don't want. Every prime minister has a right to have his own policies," he said.

Mahathir has been Najib's fiercest critic over his handling of the Finance Ministry-owned 1MDB, which has accumulated RM41.8 billion in debt. Najib is also finance minister.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU.

 Perdana Menteri Najib Abdul Razak boleh menjawab segala dakwaan kontroversi bahawa dia telah mengambil AS $ 700 juta (RM2.6 bilion) dalam dana negeri dengan hanya menunjukkan akaun banknya, bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata.

  "Apabila orang mendakwanya dengan sesuatu, dia berkata ia adalah satu plot Masuk Akal, ia tidak benar Buktikan bahawa ia tidak benar Ia adalah sangat mudah untuk beliau untuk membuktikan ia tidak benar....

  "Beliau mempunyai akaun-akaun bank, semua dia perlu lakukan adalah mengatakan: 'anda memeriksa akaun saya, anda melihat ia, 

 "kata Mahathir dalam temu bual dengan berpangkalan di UK BBC yang disiarkan pagi ini.Ini adalah kali pertama Mahathir secara terbuka ditimbang pada kedudukan Najib selepas The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) dilaporkan Jumaat lepas bahawa AS $ 700 juta dana 1MDB telah didepositkan ke dalam akaun bank peribadi Najib dengan Ambank.

   Najib telah menafikan bahawa dia telah mengambil wang kerajaan untuk kepentingan peribadi dan menuduh Mahathir bekerja "bahu" dengan pihak asing untuk mewujudkan krisis politik .

  Beliau juga menuduh Mahathir yang mahu menggulingkan beliau kerana tidak memenuhi hasratnya. Walau bagaimanapun, Mahathir berkata penafian semata-mata tidak mencukupi. 

 "Bukti puding adalah dalam makan itu. Anda mengatakan anda menafikan, tetapi mari kita lihat akaun, "katanya. 'Semua ini adalah kira-kira wang yang telah dipinjam' Mahathir juga menafikan bahawa beliau telah bekerjasama dengan media asing untuk membuat tuduhan terhadap Najib.

  "Semua ini kira-kira wang yang telah dipinjam dan semua penipuan ini yang diikuti -. adalah sesuatu yang saya baca dalam akhbar asing dan saya disahkan dengan meminta penduduk tempatan "Saya tidak bekerja dengan media asing," katanya dalam temu bual itu. 

 Mahathir juga ditujukan tuduhan bahawa dia keluar untuk menggulingkan Najib kerana tidak mematuhi kehendak, menyatakan bahawa Perdana Menteri telah membuat beberapa janji-janji kepadanya tetapi bahawa mereka adalah "perkara-perkara kecil". 

 "Saya tidak bertanya kepadanya mengapa dia tidak melakukan apa yang dia berjanji untuk melakukan, iaitu untuk membina (bengkok) jambatan dan terus jalan kereta api."Itu adalah satu perkara yang kecil kepada saya, jika anda tidak mahu.

  Setiap Perdana Menteri mempunyai hak untuk mempunyai dasar sendiri, "katanya. Mahathir telah pengkritik sengit Najib ke atas pengendalian beliau mengenai 1MDB Kewangan Kementerian milik, yang telah terkumpul RM41.8 bilion dalam hutang. Najib juga Menteri Kewangan.


Related reports

Cops to probe WSJ over leaked banking docs

Najib wants WSJ to confirm claims in 14 days

IGP: AmBank founder's murder not linked to 1MDB

SRC boss clears PM, says Umno website

Show us your bank accounts, Dr M tells PM

IGP rejects calls to arrest Mahathir

A broken prime minister

Ground crumbling from beneath Najib

Six options for ministers to prove they are patriots

PM faces renewed leave call after WSJ released docs

S’pore cenbank in touch with banks on 1MDB probe

Bank Negara in spotlight as scandal deepens

'Bravo' for making MPs look like criminals

There’s more to dad’s murder, says Pascal Najadi

PM’s accounts - Umno man defends the indefensible