Why disturb probes into 1MDB and RM2.6 billion if nothing wrong, asks Muhyiddin

Investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion put in the prime minister's personal bank accounts should not be "disturbed" if there was no wrongdoing involved, former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today. "If there is no wrongdoing at all, why don't you let the investigations be? Why disturb them?" he told a dialogue session in Johor Baru, but did not refer to Najib explicitly. "Whose power is it (to make the changes)," Muhyiddin said at a Bicara Minda dialogue session organised by publisher Karangkraf and Sinar Harian in the southern state. The Umno deputy president was referring to earlier investigations conducted by a special task force into 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposited into Najib's personal accounts. The task force was disbanded after the Attorney-General was abruptly replaced on July 28. In its place, another multi-agency task force, the National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team (NRRET), was revived to probe a range of money-related crimes, but not specific to 1MDB. Another probe by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was also temporarily halted when its chairman and some three members were given ministerial portfolios in a July cabinet reshuffle. Muhyiddin, who was himself dropped from the cabinet as deputy prime minister and education minister in the reshuffle, said "not a single" opinion of his had been taken seriously regarding 1MDB issue while he was still serving in the cabinet. He was axed after openly questioning Najib's handling of the debt-ridden state-owned investment firm. "I gave so many opinions, not a single one was taken into account; it's as though the deputy prime minister is so stupid," he said. He told the crowd of around 400 people at the dialogue today that even if 1MDB was turned around, would still be the people's money that would be used to bear the burden. The strategic investment firm, which has debts of RM42 billion, is currently on a restructuring exercise that includes the sale of power assets to help shave off its debts. "Even if you turn around the company, with cash injections and capital injections, eventually you are going to use the people's money to bear the burden of earlier mismanagement." Muhyiddin also questioned when 1MDB's troubles would finally be resolved. "Every time, the prime minister keeps asking for six months for solve the problem. The six months have been shifting until now," he said. Even when its debts are resolved, he said this did not mean the firm no longer needed to be investigated over its questionable deals, nor should those responsible go unpunished. "Solving it is one thing, but people will still need answers." Muhyiddin said 1MDB's bank loans backed by Putrajaya's letters of support would still eventually involve taxpayers' money. – October 24, 2015.]]>