2010 cabinet complicit in 1MDB 'donation' cover-up, ex-Harapan ministers say

 

The doctrine of collective responsibility meant that the entire 2010 cabinet was complicit in the cover-up of an alleged donation to Yayasan 1MDB, former Pakatan Harapan ministers said.

This includes the current prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Warisan president Shafie Apdal, and several Umno leaders, including Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Former water, land, and natural resources minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the 2010 cabinet's decision to withhold information could be a crime.

"This is definitely hiding information from the authorities to prevent further questions or even investigation by the relevant agencies.

"The question here is if the entire cabinet is implicated in withholding evidence of a crime... then they should all answer for it," he told Malaysiakini.

Former primary industries minister Teresa Kok also said that the cabinet shared collective responsibility and was complicit in keeping the "donation" a secret.

"Yes (they were complicit).

“They were aware of the 'donation' and approved for it to be hidden from the knowledge of the government system and the public," she added.

Former cabinet deputy chief secretary Mazidah Abdul Majid on Wednesday testified in court that the 2010 cabinet had agreed to keep an alleged donation from Arab royalty under wraps.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak

This was after then-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak told the cabinet that Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Abdul Aziz Al-Saud did not want the donation to Yayasan 1MDB to be made public.

Mazidah, the 11th prosecution witness, was testifying during the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial of Najib.

Previously, during the trial on Sept 27, 2019, the prosecution produced four cheques, allegedly issued by members of the Arab royal family to Yayasan 1MDB, dated 2010 for US$25 million (RM101 million) each.

The cheques were allegedly issued by Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Faisal Turki and purportedly handed to fugitive financier Low Taek Jho.

However, they were never cashed.

The prosecution then had contended that the cheques could have been utilised to hide the source of the over RM2 billion worth of funds allegedly discovered in Najib's personal accounts.

When contacted, then de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said he could not recall such a cabinet decision from 12 years ago.

"I'm sorry, I really can't recall," he said.

Malaysiakini also contacted other former ministers from 2010 namely Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, Hishammuddin Hussein, and Idris Jala, as well as aides to Muhyiddin, Shafie, Zahid, and Anifah Aman.

Muhyiddin and Shafie had both rebelled against Najib in 2015 when allegations that 1MDB funds had been misappropriated began to surface. - Mkini

✍ Credit given to the original owner of this post : ☕ Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH

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