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'Having PM Najib in the White House will not drain your swamp, Mr Trump'
Published:  Sep 11, 2017 6:52 PM
Updated: 11:13 AM

It has been reported that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will be paying US President Donald Trump a visit this Tuesday, 12 September at the coveted White House. A diplomatic honour indeed!

But why?

Why is PM Najib being given this big treat, especially since he has a massive taint to his image after being caught with US$1 billion in his personal bank accounts, with his association with the world’s largest grand corruption case, now a subject of investigations in no less than six countries?

Civil society leaders in Malaysia are stumped by this sudden turn of fortunes for him. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has released various documents linking MO1 (established as Najib) as the recipient of the illicit funds, with losses amounting to a whopping US$4.5 billion, and that US$1.7 billion worth of stolen assets is being recovered through two civil suits. Criminal proceedings in relation to the 1MDB scandal are being now being initiated, with MO1’s imprints everywhere in the multi country corruption scandal.

But then the backdrop of this invitation should come as no surprise.

President Trump has shown a penchant for strongman authoritarian type of leaders, and in addition, has in common with PM Najib, a DOJ investigation upon himself as well, for his alleged involvement with Russia in relation to the 2016 presidential election. They have both sacked top law enforcers investigating them, just to stay on top.

If PM Najib and his entourage hope to dismiss the ongoing 1MDB criminal probe as frivolous, they may want to think again. For it is evident that the DOJ is operating without the influence or opinion of the White House – as even Trump couldn’t shake himself off his own case.

This, in fact, stands in stark contrast to our justice system which has exonerated the prime minister despite the existence of damning evidence against him. It bears repeating that attorney-general Apandi Ali had outrightly rejected the Swiss attorney-general’s request for mutual legal assistance and extend full cooperation to Switzerland in every aspect of the investigation over the 1MDB corruption scandal – a decision that is in breach of Malaysia’s obligation under articles 43 and 44 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Geopolitical interests

The United States has always asserted its territorial influence over Southeast Asia. But Since Trump moved into the Oval office, the US influence has been on the wane since, leaving China so much room to exert its superpowers. In the last one year alone, Malaysia has raked in more than RM400 billion in infrastructure investments alone, including the grand one belt one road link traversing Southeast Asia and beyond.

The emerging threat of War in North Korea also puts Malaysia at an important pivot to leverage U.S geopolitical interest in the region.

Given the sad state of affairs and given that elections are looming, this visit to the White House raises these questions – what is the real intention behind this planned visit?

How much did this cost Malaysian taxpayers?

We are mystified by the timing of this trip, and how it was so craftily sorted out, so quickly after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Kuala Lumpur last month.

Malaysians have a right to know how much public funds were spent by the prime minister on insider consultants in order to secure this visit.

In light of this, we demand for any credibility left to salvage at this eleventh hour, PM Najib answer Malaysians long-standing questions on the 1MDB alleged stolen funds, and release the 1MDB report under the OSA before he takes to the United States.

PM Najib, we urge you not to take Malaysians for fools and own up to this massive theft of public funds.
 


1.CYNTHIA GABRIEL, Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4)
2. IVY JOSIAH, Proham
3. FARIBEL FERNANDEZ, Pusat KOMAS
4.SEVAN DORAIMSAMY, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
5. Lawyers for Liberty

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