Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos believes there are hidden hands behind the royal decree calling for haste in the 1MDB investigation.

There was no reason, Jamal said, for the issue to be discussed by the Conference of Rulers, since Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has promised to solve 1MDB's money woes.

"The rulers have a right to voice out their concerns... But why was 1MDB discussed by the Conference of Rulers?

"I believe there are hidden hands that brought this issue to the Rulers Conference," Jamal told Malaysiakini .

The sultans on Tuesday decreed that the investigation into 1MDB be completed as soon as possible and the wrongdoers, if any, be punished.

They said if the 1MDB issue is not dealt with intelligently, and continues to drag on, it will damage the economy and the people's welfare.

Ploy by Mahathir?

In a statement last night, Jamal speculated if the statement actually came from the Malay rulers or was a ploy by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Citing blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Jamal said Najib was closing down Mahathir's revenue sources, including approved permits (AP) for car imports.

As such, he speculated that Mahathir ( photo ), through his lieutenant and former agriculture minister Sanusi Junid, orchestrated Tuesday's statement.

"Who doesn't know about the close ties between the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, and Sanusi?

"The sultans can't make a statement without going through the keeper.

"As such, we will never know if the decree came from the Malay rulers or was a secret initiative by Mahathir," Jamal said.