Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's contradictory reply on 1 Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) savings in a Singapore bank may expose him to contempt proceedings in Parliament, said veteran lawmaker Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

However, the Gua Musang MP said since Najib, who is also finance minister, had corrected the parliamentary reply, then it should not be construed as “lying”.

Despite disagreeing with former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who accused Najib of lying , Tengku Razaleigh felt Najib should be more discreet.

"But whatever it is, the PM should not commit a breach of privilege of the House.

"Be it spoken or written, it is an act of privilege for MPs," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Pointed out that Najib’s correction came two months after the mistake on March 10, Tengku Razaleigh, who is popularly known as Ku Li, said it was up to the parties to raise it in Parliament if they felt PM had misled the House.

"It's up to the House and parties concerned to decide," he said.

In the form of units, not cash

In a parliamentary reply dated May 19, the finance ministry corrected its written reply in March that said the US$1.1 billion (RM3.97 billion) transferred by 1MDB from Cayman Islands to Singapore was in cash.

On May 21 , Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah ( photo ) clarified that the assets were in fact in the form of units but refused to explain what he meant by that.

Any member who issues a statement found to be misleading the House can be referred to the rights and privileges committee of the Dewan Rakyat for further action.

Tengku Razaleigh, who penned an open letter last November on the deteriorating financial standing of 1MDB, said what he warned the government back then is happening now.

He had said that the financial situation was getting worse due to internal factors arising from mismanagement of the nation's economy by Najib.

Tengku Razaleigh also touched on the loans given to 1MDB and the serious repercussion on the government in the event of default.

He said he would wait for the Auditor-General's report and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigations into 1MDB before concluding whether there is any element of fraud.

"I am waiting for all the information I could gather.

"For the moment, it's very difficult for me to make a categorical statement on the matter even though it is being bandied about as something irregular and something bordering on the brink of fraud,"  Tengku Razaleigh said, adding that it is best to wait for the official statement to come out.

 

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